How Things Are Going To Be
by xxMusicalMime
Summary: "Who knew that Malfoy has the hots for Hermione?" Harry said in amusement as he smiled one last time at the face that yelled to the heavens in anguish. Yes, this is my first fanfic. :PP Rated T for curses and whatnot, just to be safe.-Complete!
1. Winning A Gryffindor's Heart

Disclaimer: ALL THESE THINGS, EXCEPT FOR THE PLOT, ARE J.K. ROWLING'S, NOT MINE.

* * *

Harry Potter was walking from a seemingly good and muddy Quidditch Practice. His _Firebolt _was carelessly placed on his shoulder while the night breeze ruffled his hair, teasing it with a direction. His bright green eyes took in the dark surroundings that he loved. Peace and quiet! No one to look at him, no one to whisper, no one to screech, "It's Harry Potter!"  
He was just about to climb the staircases when a scream rent through the air.

"I love Hermione Granger!"

Harry froze his inner self switching to protective and curious mode. He got out his Invisibility Cloak from under his Muggle clothing. He draped it on himself, mounted his Firebolt, and circled the grounds slowly, careful not to wake Filch up. By the Astronomy Tower, there was someone… crying?

Harry slowed to a stop, stunned. The crying person screamed again. "Why does this have to be so bloody difficult? I love her, since the day she looked at me, even if it was a disgusted look! I've been thinking about her for the past years! I get it, I'm obsessed! I want her to get jealous by getting with Pansy, but that's no good! I just wish my life wasn't so effing complicated!"

Harry smiled. He looked up at Draco Malfoy, his archenemy since he set foot at Hogwarts. He was smiling at his profession, and he didn't know why he didn't feel overprotective of Hermione instead. Malfoy's history with the Golden Trio wasn't exactly a secret. But Harry knew deep inside that Malfoy was only acting for the sake of his father.

"Who knew that Malfoy has the hots for Hermione?" Harry said in amusement as he smiled one last time at the face that yelled to the heavens in anguish before turning away, not bothering to drape the Invisibility Cloak on him. He figured Malfoy won't see him with his wet eyes, anyway.

* * *

"Harry, where were you last night?"

"I _told _you, Hermione, I was at Quidditch Practice!"

Hermione gave him a knowing look. Sure, she knew that, but she knew he was hiding something. Harry was really just a novice in lying.

"Come on, you can tell me! What is it?" she persisted, flicking a loose strand of hair carelessly over her shoulder. Her brown eyes circled their vicinity, checking for eavesdroppers.

"I can't, Hermione, just not now," Harry said, exhausted. He was a little annoyed about Hermione playing detective again at first, but he just found it amusing how Hermione reacts to an untold secret.

Hermione crossed her arms at her chest and mumbled darkly. She really can't contain her curiosity now. What good would it bring to keep her hanging? He knew she was curious, but what she didn't know is that he was planning on doing something to Parvati Patil, the gossip machine of Gryffindor, because of making her annoyingly curious, too. Maybe a hex like Hermione did to Marietta Edgecombe should do the trick.

Feet shuffled behind the pair, and they looked around their shoulders. Ronald Weasley came flying out of a classroom, screaming, "Get away from me!" with his arms above his red hair. Seconds later, Lavender Brown came, cooing shrilly, "Won-won!"

Hermione and Harry doubled up in laughter at the sight. Oh sure, Hermione kissed Ron at the war, but the summer that passed hit them with reality, a reality meaning they won't be together. So Ron was still persisted by Lavender, who was, in Hermione's opinion, in comparison to Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin as 'the slut of the school'. If Pansy was acting like a slut to Malfoy, Lavender was making a show for Won-won.

The two still had tears in their eyes as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. They passed the Slytherin Table as usual, and they received snide remarks and rude comments, but it was ingrained on the Gryffindors to ignore them. They don't stand a chance when ignored, anyways.

Harry found all this normal, and smiled all the way, oblivious to all the glares he received. Hermione, though, was staring at the knot of Slytherins in bewilderment. Is it just her, or was the din a voice less in number?

She shifted her head to the side to look at a gaunt-looking Draco Malfoy, staring at his full plate with dull and bloodshot grey orbs. He had dark circles underneath them, his hair was a mess, and his jaw was tightly clenched in thought. His hands were on the table, unmoving. Pansy was beside him, cooing something in his ear. He didn't say anything, and Pansy stopped her flirty antics, crossing her arms and pouting. Blaise Zabini was laughing with Theodore Nott, but sobered immediately at the fact that Draco was like a statue.

"What's wrong with Malfoy today?" Hermione asked as Ron caught up with them, panting. Harry's eyes widened and looked fearfully at the pale form.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow. Now there's something you don't see every day.

"I don't know, maybe he hadn't been sleeping well." He said, shrugging indifferently.

"Oh Merlin, he looks like a vampire," Ron said, imitating them. His voice now held pity, not concern.

They sat down on the Gryffindor Table beside Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister. Hermione and Ron were very good at ignoring the other two companies they have when they weren't feeling… _verbal. _Hermione ignored the forms entwined beside her and went to grab the mashed potatoes. Ron was already shoveling food onto his mouth (since when did he get food?).

Hermione chewed her mashed potatoes thoughtfully, looking at the pale figure at the Slytherin Table. Malfoy was toying with his soup, frowning, looking as dejected as ever. There was a hopeless air around him that she almost saw…

…Almost.

* * *

While she was thinking, Harry glanced at her over Ginny's shoulder, eyes full of concern. Harry knew Hermione liked Malfoy a lot since third year. The only thing holding her feelings back was the spat between Malfoy and himself. Somehow, he felt guilty of preventing and interfering with the possibility of a perfect relationship.

He sighed, getting back to his plate. Just for once, he'll keep Malfoy's secret…

And Harry himself will help the Slytherin win a Gryffindor's heart.

* * *

**A/N**: Please Review. :)


	2. Truce

Disclaimer: Still nothing is mine except the plot.

* * *

"Malfoy, come here a moment."

Harry tensed as the pale boy dragged his feet towards him.

"What?" he said tonelessly. It didn't suit him. It was noon, and he still had bloodshot eyes from the crying last night. His white-blonde hair was tousled, and it was like talking to a person who managed to hold on to his soul after a Dementor's Kiss.

"I… I heard you last night by the Astronomy Tower," Harry stammered, "and decided to help you with Hermione. She likes you too, you know."

His face brightened immediately; it was rather unnerving. "Does she really?"

"Yeah, she does. She's liked you ever since third year."

Draco Malfoy sighed in relief, punched the air and laughed his appreciation of the news. Harry merely smiled. Students were looking at Malfoy as though he finally got deranged and unhinged. They ogled even more when they saw Harry grinning appreciatively.

"What is going on?"

Hermione appeared, her prefect badge glinting on her chest. Malfoy sobered almost at once. He looked at Harry, who shook his head very slowly. After a few seconds, Malfoy nodded and turned away, walking past Hermione with his trademark smirk back. Harry's lips tugged into an identical smirk as he saw Hermione turning her head towards his direction, blushing at his retreating back.

* * *

"Looks like Malfoy's back to normal." Hermione wondered out loud.

It was nighttime, their favorite time of the day. They were in the Gryffindor common room, their best place to be. Put two and two together and they make memories for the Golden Trio. Hermione was holding Edith Hamilton's _Mythology, timeless tales of gods and heroes. _Ron was playing Exploding Snap with Ginny, and Harry was writing an essay for Transfiguration.

"Good thing, too," Ron said, yawning at the inky sky outside, "I thought I was hallucinating. Just think about it, a male version of Moaning Myrtle."

Harry laughed, and so did the other three. Their laughter doubled up as the tower the Weasleys built exploded, covering Ron's uncovered face with ash and soot and singeing his eyebrows. He got up, frustrated, and wiped all the soot from his face. At that moment, Harry's new wristwatch rang.

"Guys, I got to go, Slughorn wanted to ask me about something," he said, dashing to the portrait and out of sight.

"Wonder what's got his knickers in a twist," Ginny said, dumbfounded, a half-eaten tart sliding from her limp fingers. Hermione shrugged and continued her pretend reading as her mind dwelt on a certain someone with grey eyes and pointed features, not knowing Harry was meeting that certain someone instead of Slughorn.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, it's fairly short, and I hate myself for doing it so briefly, but I promise the next chapters would be long. But I don't remember if the third chapter is the one with long words… Oh well. In the meantime, review! :))


	3. First Come, First Serve

The next day…

"Are you ready?" Harry asked, handing Draco a bouquet of white roses, Hermione's favorite.

He nodded, internally slapping himself because of being nervous. Malfoys are _never _nervous… were they?

"Why do we have to do it at half-past five in the morning, again?" he asked groggily.

"How would some think if an ex-Death Eater placed a bouquet of roses on a member of the Golden Trio's desk?"

"Fair point," Draco said in defeat after a few minutes. He sighed, sneaked into the Charms classroom, put the bouquet of roses on her chair, and crept outside, beaming.

* * *

"Oh. My. GOD!" Hermione squealed. She held the bunch of roses in her arms as Ron looked at them in envy. Harry was surprised, too, or Hermione thought he was. Hermione twirled around in happiness and Harry said, "Mione, look, a card fell out of it!"

Hermione snatched it up and read it aloud.

_Dear Hermione,_

_ I hope you like the flowers. I heard you liked them. To be safe, I'll stay anonymous. Have a nice day._

"Oh, you've got a secret admirer!" Parvati shrieked in obvious envy. Ron's ears went brick red. Harry pulled Hermione's chair back. There lay another bouquet, the one he recognized was the one from Draco.

But then… who was the first one from?

Hermione was beside herself with joy. She didn't care about who sent them. She had two bouquets of flowers all for herself. Who wouldn't be overjoyed by that?

Harry was thinking when Draco's card was read.

_Dear Hermione,_

_ I do not know why, but I liked you since the day we met. I like you until now. I wish I could profess personally, but you might sneer. Who would listen to someone like me nowadays? Remember, Hermione, I love you, and I have a nagging hunch that you do, too._

Ron laughed himself stupid when he saw there was a winking smiley face at the end. Hermione blushed, and Harry grinned. _Nice one, Draco, _he thought. Hermione was still blushing when she tucked Draco's letter into her bag. The first one, she crumpled and tossed outside. She didn't need that. Although Harry pointed his wand at the open window and summoned the piece of parchment into his bag just as the door opened.

At Charms, Professor Flitwick quieted the class before questioning them about difficult charms for self-defense that were used in the war. Naturally, the class was dumbfounded except for Hermione. She answered the questions with renewed vigor, a glint in her eyes; the glint of triumph. She was so good that Professor Flitwick cried at the end of the class and gave her fifty points for her advance knowledge.

As the bell rang, the students filed out. Harry was roughly taken aside by Draco.

"Did she like them?" he asked anxiously, his hands twisting.

"Yeah, much better than the first one," Harry slipped.

"WHAT!" Draco roared.

Harry explained all he saw as it unfolded. Draco glanced at the writing on the first letter, which Harry summoned from his chair. When he looked up, he looked ready to kill.

"It's familiar," he snarled, and he dashed off to tell Blaise, leaving Harry in the deserted Charms corridor.

* * *

"Blaise, look at this!" Draco bellowed at his friend who was lounging at the table. Blaise's eyes widened and he spurt the pumpkin juice he just sipped all over the Slytherin Table at dinner. If Draco wasn't this livid, he wouldn't get suspicious.

"Aha!" he exclaimed, but before he made any more successful gestures, Blaise smacked his forehead and said, "God, I told him not today!"

"Huh?'Him' who?" he asked, regretting getting suspicious on his best mate.

"Theo. He's got a huge crush on Granger ever since the battle of Hogwarts. You're in a rough state, mate."

Draco walked all the way to the Slytherin Common Room, his expression snarling. He banged suits of armor and shouted himself hoarse at the portraits that tried to calm him down. He skipped dinner and earned concerned looks from professors and students alike. Draco snorted. He didn't need their sympathy. Theo will need it more later, because once Draco was done with him, he's dead.

"Muggle filth!" he shouted at the damp wall. It opened and he saw Theodore Nott, snogging with Pansy Parkinson. Draco shouted and they jumped apart. Draco's fist collided with Theo's face, and a resounding crack told all of them there that a nose just broke. It wasn't satisfying enough, however.

"What the…! Nott, you liked Granger! I LIKED HER FIRST! She's mine, you idiot! And you go snogging with Pansy! How thick can you get!"

Theo was gurgling blood from his broken nose. Draco ignored his comment of "Waddar you sayin, Dray?" and stormed off.

He was right. Draco loved Hermione first, and that rat wasn't going to steal her. _He _hadn't watched her from afar at every class they shared. _He _didn't feel scared for her when she went to the Department Of Mysteries. _He _didn't vomit on the floor when Hermione was being Crucio'ed. _He _didn't scream to his deaf Aunt Bellatrix so many floors above him to stop the agony she was inflicting on her and him as well. No, he just wanted to be 'in'. Well, if he'll play like that, Hermione – _his Hermione –_ isn't going anywhere but to him.

Besides, first come, first serve, after all. And he's got an amazingly large head start against that rat face.

* * *

**A/N:** And that, my dears, is what we call jealousy fit. :)) I hope you like it so far; I've been reading every chapter again and again and it seems like the more I get into the story, the more… serious… it becomes.

Yes, another short one. :( I'm really sorry about that. My mother is breathing on my neck at the moment, and I can't do anything about… you know. But I swear there's a chapter I filled in with six pages on Word. Addicted and proud. Haha!

Oh, dear. I think the title of this chapter is rather... misgiving. haha. sorry, guys. *hits head* I don't know what my brain says me to type.

Review! :))


	4. Getting Along

"Hey, Hermione,"  
"What is it, Harry?" she asked, alarmed.

"Want to walk with me by the lake?"

Hermione gaped. So this was the emergency?

"Okay, then," she got up and walked beside Harry. Ron was at the hospital wing to get away from Lavender. His excuse: injured by bowtruckles.

Harry was talking about his cousin, Dudley, and his aunt and uncle's new house in Majorca, and how they became friends with Dedalus Diggle, when they saw someone by the oak doors. To Hermione, the white-blonde hair and pointed features were all too familiar; Draco Malfoy.

She almost snarled, though her facial expression would be if not on mute. She was inwardly cursing Harry's presence. Just when she happened to run into Draco, Harry's there to spoil the moment! Yes, she liked having the company of her best friends, especially when they get rare one-ups against the Slytherins, but she always regretted whatever she said against this particular Slytherin. Even though the years stated plainly that they weren't meant for each other, she hadn't lost hope.

"Malfoy," she said, making her best to appear disgusted. Harry was on the contrary. He beamed, screamed, "Draco!" and hugged him like a brother.

She gaped again, confused beyond belief for the second time in her life. The first was when Remus Lupin hugged Sirius Black. Now, this happens to the famous archenemies, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter!

Harry broke away, and noticing Hermione's mouth opened in a perfect attempt to complete a 'WTF?' expression, tried to explain. "Draco, here, has planned a picnic out in the grounds. He invited me, and you, and he would also like to invite Ron, if he hadn't been attacked by bowtruckles."

Hermione closed her mouth. "Shut it, Harry, you're not made for all this… _formality. _Well, yeah, you are made for it, but I haven't heard you like that since the night you saved me from the troll in the girls' bathroom, and believe me, it's creepy." She finished with an expression of utmost 'no-no', and Draco laughed.

The boys took the lead, and Hermione hastily followed them. They were discussing about Quidditch. _Oh great, _Hermione thought, rolling her eyes, _they'll have a Seeker match anytime that discussion is over. _She sighed and put her hands deep into her pockets. She was wearing white pedal shorts on this fine-weathered Saturday. She was sporting a white tee-shirt with a black, coat-like vest that ended at her upper thigh. Her brown, curly hair was tamed into a bunch of curls neatly topped with a French hat. Her feet were proudly showing off her black star-patterned Converse sneakers. It was a good thing that she hadn't decided to wear a black robe, although wearing Muggle clothing in Hogwarts grounds were kind of… unnerving.

Harry plopped down at a picnic blanket Hermione hadn't noticed before. He was smiling, and he sighed contently as he closed his eyes. His jet-black hair was more ruffled than usual with the breeze. He was wearing jeans, Nike sneakers, and a red-and-gold tribal polo shirt. He opened his eyes to look at the two people standing with startlingly green eyes behind his round spectacles, and motioned for them to sit down beside him.

Draco nodded and motioned that Hermione sit first. He smiled kindly, and Hermione returned it, a pink blush creeping on her cheeks. Draco waited for her to sit down beside Harry before he sat down beside her. As she sat down, she noticed that Draco was also wearing jeans, a silver-and-green polo shirt, and sneakers. She would've laughed herself silly at the look he was giving off. He looked completely Muggle, and she was used to wizards who decided it was better to wear long, feminine flowing dresses than pinstriped trousers, considering the fact that dresses provide a better ventilation system to their privates.

"So, Hermione, how's your week going?" Draco asked, attempting for small talk.

"Oh, it's alright, actually, thanks for asking, Draco," she said formally, letting go of her grudge, "it was really awful with all those essays to complete…"

_Finally, those two are in small talk, _Harry thought. This was his entire plan to helping Draco and getting Theo a kick in the face. Later, he'll pretend to have an emergency, saying that Professor Flitwick specifically asked him for a meeting. After leaving, he would watch them under the Invisibility Cloak and ask for reinforcements from Ginny. She wasn't into having Draco as a friend of her boyfriend, but he explained to her that it was all for Hermione, and she agreed that it was good for the bookworm to meet prince charming, especially one who was a bookworm, too.

Hermione, meanwhile, was laughing at a joke Draco just cracked. Her laughter filled the air around them, making Draco also laugh. Who knew that the impassive Slytherin had an excellent sense of humor?

"Want a chocolate bon-bon, Draco?" she said, reaching for the box.

"Sure, anything sweet from you," he said wryly, making Hermione blush. "What's the flavor?"

"It's chocolate on the outside, a wafer filling, and then peanut butter on the inside."

"Sounds great," he said, and popped one whole into his mouth. He closed his eyes, trying to savor every last crumb of the sweet, while sighing. Harry's watch rang.

"Oh, crap," he said, jumping up, pretending and succeeding to be completely flustered, "Professor Flitwick told me he would request a meeting today! Damn, I forgot! Is it okay for you, two?"

"Yeah, it's okay," Hermione and Draco said at the same time.

He dashed up the stairs, and was greeted by a walrus…

…or so Harry thought it was.

"Harry, m'boy," Professor Slughorn exclaimed. Harry smiled weakly while he groaned internally. God, why today?

"Hello, professor, I'm just strolling around the grounds," he informed, sounding as though he was trying to hide anything suspicious.

"Ah, yes, and you are very handsomely dressed, too. I bet while you were strolling, the girls by the lake shrieked their heads off, aye?" Slughorn said, winking, "Now, then, this is just perfect! I have an old colleague of mine who happened to visit and wanted to interview the Boy Who Lived! Believe me, Harry, he wouldn't take no for an answer!"

"But I…" he stammered, the phrase 'was visiting my friend' dying in his throat. He was dragged away by the shoulder, occasionally looking over his shoulder at the forms of Draco and Hermione whenever Slughorn rambled on about all his ex-students.

* * *

Draco was looking at Hermione eating a piece of cake. _God, she's beautiful up close, _he thought, his twinkling grey eyes clouding over, his imagination taking place where Hermione screamed his name repetitively.

"Draco! Draco, we've got to move!"

"Huh?"

Draco shooed his imagination away, though he thought he was still in his own mind. There were still clouds, and the atmosphere was dark, and the wind was blowing, and Hermione was still saying his name.

"Come on, or we'll get soaked!" she screamed.

He jumped up and cleared all their picnic stuff. When he was done, a slight drizzle was coming down on them. Draco luckily had a coat and he draped it over his and Hermione's head as the real downpour came hard on them. They ran, their sneakers getting soaked, their hair damp and dripping. When they reach the warm and dry confines of the castle, they panted, leaned and slid down the wall.

They laughed at each other's appearance. They looked like lovers who had caught in the rain, but they put it at the back of their minds. Draco helped Hermione up and escorted her to the Gryffindor Portrait.

"Thanks for the picnic, Draco," Hermione said, ignoring the approving comments of the Fat Lady. She hadn't seen a Gryffindor and Slytherin in such a romantic situation in such a long time!

"It's not a problem, Hermione," he said, "and you can keep the coat. Believe me; I've got enough of those."

Hermione laughed, kissed him in the cheek in thanks, and hurried inside the Gryffindor common room, leaving a dazed Draco Malfoy caressing the spot where her soft lips met his wet skin.

* * *

"Hey, Harry!" she said cheerfully, waving to his livid best friend who was beside Ron.

"Hey, Hermione," he muttered, looking ready to kill.

"What the hell? Hermione, why're you soaking wet and where did that coat come from?" Ron asked, always the suspicious one.

"I got soaked in the rain, because I was strolling around. The coat, I transfigured from my black handkerchief. Now tell us what happened to you, Harry."

"Well, after I went to Flitwick, I ran into Slughorn, who made me give an interview to a bloke from the Ministry about the goings-on after the war. Man, I bet it's going into the Daily Prophet tomorrow." Harry said, and covered his face with his palms devastatingly.

Hermione and Ron laughed. The Golden Trio never knew that Draco Malfoy, so many floors below, was whooping and jumping in his own common room, shaking off the water droplets from his body to an amused and smirking Blaise Zabini.

* * *

**A/N: **Did anyone notice how good Harry and Hermione are becoming at lying? I didn't! Well, okay, I did, but at first I really didn't. :)

Hope you'll still stick around. :)

Review please. :D


	5. Kidnapped

**A/N**: The plot is mine. The book 'Mythology' is one of my favorites, and it belongs to Edith Hamilton. The characters and their personalities are from

J.K. Rowling.

Hermione was walking down the corridor alone, her hair tied in a ponytail, swishing side to side as she took a step. Harry and Ron were down at the Quidditch field, practicing for their match against Slytherin. She was happy that Harry was rather reluctant to battle with his new friend, but Ron wiped the smile off of Hermione's face by calling Draco names… a lot of names, so vulgar that if McGonagall was there, she would've taken a hundred points from her own house, given Ron a whole year's worth of detentions, write to his mother about what he said and smile evilly when he receives a Howler the next day. Hermione was angered by his attitude and left off the pitch, fuming like the redhead behind her.

An idea struck her. In the match, who would she support? Of course, she's a Gryffindor, so she'd support her own house… But she likes – probably loves – a Slytherin, and Luna was brave enough to side with the Gryffindors at every match the house was participating. But that was Luna Lovegood, for God's sake; she's different from her… And besides, who'd want to side with a team when the keeper is so vulgar and obnoxious? She was ready to disown him as a friend anytime… But there's still Harry, the Boy Who Lived, her very loyal best friend… He's the captain, and she wouldn't want to hurt his feelings. But he was the one who led her to be friends with Draco…

And speak of the devil…

"Oof!" Hermione said, running into someone warm and hard. She staggered backward, and the books she was carrying in her arms toppled to the ground, the sound of leather-bound pages hitting a polished floor resounding around the hall.

"Hey, Hermione," someone said, and Hermione looked up. She smiled.

Draco.

"Hey," she said, standing up and dusting herself. She looked around the clattered books and flustered herself with picking them up. Draco knelt down and helped.

"Sorry about this," he said, picking and eyeing _Mythology _interestingly, "You've got pretty good books, you know. Can I borrow this?"

"What?" she asked, looked at him holding her book, and said, "Oh, okay."

"Thanks," a moment's pause "Let me carry that."

The heavy weight was lifted and put on another's arms. Draco beamed down at Hermione and walked beside her. "So, where do you plan to go?"

"Err…" She hadn't thought of that.

Draco laughed. "I think you'd want to go to the library," Hermione nodded, "then there we go."

They lapsed into silence, Hermione fidgeting. Draco was at ease, smiling around, oblivious to all the stares they were getting from passing people, students and teachers alike. She sighed and smiled, too, like a seven-year-grudge between a member of the Golden Trio and the accursed Malfoy never happened.

They reached the library, and Draco put her books down on a table carefully. Hermione sat down, and Draco sat across her, picking up _Mythology _and reading it. She, on the other hand, skimmed books for her Transfiguration assignment. Half an hour passed, and nothing really happened. Draco would look up from his book from time to time, glancing at Hermione. Or else he would yawn and turn the pages lazily. Hermione would be flipping the pages hurriedly, her eyes scanning for relative information while her quill scratched her chin. Afterwards, the quill would scratch against parchment.

A slamming told Hermione that Draco finished reading. "Find anything interesting?" she asked.

"Yeah, I never knew that Persephone had another name, Proserpine," he said, lounging on his chair, "and Hercules had another wife instead of Megara, and Eris, the goddess of Discord, started the Trojan War, and Hector had a son named Astyanax, and – "

"Whoa, there, Draco," Hermione said, signaling for him to stop. She laughed. The look on his face was priceless, like a raven that Hermione just struck with a Silencing Charm. After that he also laughed, earning many shushing sounds from students. Madam Pince was eyeing them curiously.

They went out of the library. They were laughing again, oblivious again, acknowledging no grudge again…

But there's always someone who never lets go…

"Malfoy, get away from her!"

"Crap," Hermione muttered. She turned around and cried, "_Protego!"_

Her Shield Charm came out in time. The _Levicorpus _spell bounded away from them and hit the caster, who was immediately hanging by the ankles.

"Come on," Draco muttered, nudging Hermione. They ran from the caster, who was getting red in the face. His words, however, still rang in their ears: "I'll get you for this, Malfoy! And you, for treachery! I'll get you both, EVEN IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"

* * *

"Don't you dare move, Harry- "

"I'm not going to – Ow…"

"I told you not to move!"

Harry stopped fidgeting and frowned, making him look like a grumpy half-panda with black hair. Hermione was holding a book in one hand and her wand on the other. She was looking for a spell to heal his black eye.

"Damn, where's Ginny when you need help?" she cried, exasperated. She wasn't going to be let down by books, not today.

"She went to go get revenge on Ron," Neville piped, sitting beside Harry with a worried expression, "and I think she's right. No one in their right mind would punch his best mate just because his other best mate was with his former enemy."

"Neville you make it sound a lot easier, and I wish it was," Harry sighed.

"All of us, do, Harry."

"Wait," Hermione said suddenly, her face lighting up, "I know!"

She ran up the stairs, grabbed something from her trunk, and sped down to the two boys looking at each other.

"It's Fred and George's ointment that removed my black eye in sixth year!" she explained, and their knitted eyebrows became clear.

"I hope it still works," she continued, and she dabbed some of the ointment onto Harry's left eye.

"Don't worry, Hermione, Fred and George had never disappointed us before," Neville reassured her.

"I just wish I thanked him before he – you know…"

They were silent for a long time, thinking about the horrible death of Fred Weasley in the war. They remembered his last and unfinished sentence about his older brother, Percy, not joking since who knows how long, for at that moment, Rookwood had sent a curse making the rocks fall over them.

They came out of their reverie when Ginny sat beside them, arms crossed on her chest, her face scrunched up in a disgusted and murdering expression. Then when she saw the ointment on Harry's face, she smiled.

"Good thing there was an ointment near us," she said. Neville nodded.

"What did you do to Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, nothing harsh," Ginny said, a twisted smile gracing her features. As she spoke, a distant, and horribly familiar, scream rent the air.

"Ginny," Hermione said warningly, and half-heartedly.

"Okay, okay, I charmed a walking doll to walk to Aragog's den, and then I transfigured the doll into Filch, let Ron down, and lied about having a detention tonight, which he forgot. It's not my fault," Ginny said, quailing innocently under Hermione's gaze, "he asked for it."

"Well, at least there won't be any emotional outbursts this evening," Harry sighed in relief.

"Wait, there's more," Ginny said, and all three of them looked at her, "I asked the Fat Lady yesterday, and she said she was changing the password at half-past nine instead of midnight, so Filch will catch the latecomers. And its quarter to ten now, and the new password is 'concupiscence', and Ron is still not under the Gryffindor's wing! So that means if – and only if – he gets out of that den alive, then he'll have to stay outside for the night, get caught by Filch, and get a REAL detention! How great is _that!"_

All of them cheered. After half an hour, Harry's black eye was receding, and Neville pulled out a box of sweets from his grandmother, and they ate it happily beside the window, laughing whenever they heard Ron's screaming, not of agony, but of fear and cowardice. They didn't care if their actions were cruel to Ron. Indeed, every one of Ron's deeds is generally harsher than ANY of their own combined. So there's no need for anyone to blab useless things.

Hermione went to bed, three hours later, with a smile on her face, although she never forgot the feeling that she pushed aside so many times when she was laughing, the feeling that something bad was going to happen soon.

* * *

Harry bounded down the stairs and out the portrait hole, running into a pale looking figure.

"Hermione, why are you up so early?" he asked, concerned about her figure. Her back was hunched slightly, and her lips were pale, and so was every part of her body. She was wearing a coat over her pajamas, and her brown, curly hair was in disarray.

"Hey, Harry," she muttered hoarsely. She coughed and tried again, "I've got a cold, and I just went to Madam Pomfrey to take a potion. She made me a pepper up potion and she insisted I have bed rest."

"Oh, okay then, let me help you get inside," Harry said, and wounding an arm around her shoulders, he helped her limp inside.

"I'm okay here, Harry, you go on, or you'll be late," Hermione said, turning around to face him with a slight smile.

"Okay then, take care, alright?"

"I will. Thanks again."

Harry waved and walked to the portrait hole, feeling something was terribly, terribly wrong.

As soon as Harry, the last person except for his companion to leave the tower, left, the person he assisted bounded up the boys dormitory, took Harry's precious Firebolt, and flew to the girls' dormitory. He saw a sleeping figure on a bed. The person tiptoed to it, and then grinned evilly.

"Wakey wakey, Hermione," Ron said in his hoarse voice, the appearance of Hermione slipping away from his body as his Polyjuice Potion hour was up. Hermione finally stirred, and Ron held a white handkerchief behind his back…

…just in case.

* * *

"Harry! Hermione's missing!"

"I know, Ginny, she has a cold, and Madam Pomfrey insisted she have bed rest – "

"That's not what I meant, Harry," Ginny said, shaking her head at her boyfriend at the Gryffindor Table at lunch, "I mean she's gone – literally gone – no trace of her in the whole Gryffindor Tower or any part of the castle except for rope fibers, a white handkerchief, and your misplaced Firebolt!"

"Rope fibers? Handkerchief? Misplaced Firebolt? What's this all about?" Draco said from behind. All the Gryffindors turned towards him, their expression of horror and understanding. They were so shocked that they weren't even bothered that Draco Malfoy was speaking to them directly.

"It means Hermione's been kidnapped," Lavender said in barely over a whisper.

"What! Who did this?" Draco asked, livid.

"Ron," Harry said as his face paled and his eyes widened in the realization of helping and falling for the tricks of an impostor.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm no good at suspense, I know. :(

And I just made Ron so… bad. And I swear he'll get worse when they find him. Oh, well. Later on, he's going to be happy again, I promise. :)

Review! Please, do.


	6. Where are you?

Harry was always prepared when Draco saw him in the past years. He was determined to do everything, to risk his own life. That's why Draco hated him so much, partially because he was with Hermione, and partially because he was ultimately better than him, ultimately more popular and more likeable without him trying. Draco, on the other hand, sticks out like a sore thumb amidst a sea of hands, and he gets in a better light by making others look sore. Draco always despised Harry, and he always watched him from afar, not as usual as Hermione, though. After the war, he accepted the truth that Harry was as good as ever, as innocent as a unicorn, and as noble as the greatest King of the world.

But in this situation, Harry was losing it.

He was pacing back and forth in the first unused classroom they found, his pale hands twisting, his lifeless lips opening and closing. Ginny was examining the handkerchief from her older brother. Luna Lovegood was busy with the Marauder's Map (a map that showed everyone in the castle, except people in the Room of Requirement), and Neville Longbottom was looking at the window, muttering to himself about possible destinations where Ron might've taken Hermione.

And here was Draco, moping about Hermione, thinking of possible ways to murder Ron mercilessly, each idea more ruthless and less satisfying than the previous one.

"Got any ideas, yet?" he asked Harry tentatively. His mother acted that way whenever his father would be in Death Eater activity, and in those moments that he would talk, his mother would always explode.

Harry sighed in defeat. "No," he muttered. Then his hands went flying to his hair and he cried in anguish.

Draco was about to comfort him, although not calm himself, when a knock was heard. Draco opened it and in came Professor McGonagall, accompanied by Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Longbottom, Ms. Weasley, Ms. Lovegood," Professor McGonagall addressed, "I have news."

She took a deep breath, but Harry cut her off.

"Hermione's been kidnapped."

"And Ron was the culprit." Ginny said disgustingly.

"Well, I see you aren't behind on the news," McGonagall said, looking impressed, "and the Minister here had some Aurors taking care of the search. If you would like, you could help them. Hogwarts is currently seeking healing with Muggle methods, and it so happens that tomorrow will be the start of semester break."

Harry seemed stunned. Was Professor McGonagall actually telling them that they were allowed to search for them?

"Alright," Harry said, and Kingsley nodded.

"My Aurors have asked the Weasley family about his places of hiding," Kingsley began in his deep, reassuring voice, "but both parents are clueless. They are, however, similarly livid," he chuckled, "and they are expected to be also joining the man hunt."

"Do you have any ideas where they might be?" Professor McGonagall asked at large.

"Yes," Neville said suddenly with so much seriousness in his voice.

"Great, we can go to Hogsmeade right now and Apparate there," Kingsley replied, and without another word, the party of seven trudged out of the castle with determined faces.

Draco walked outside and regretted it almost at once. The atmosphere was freezing, and here he was, in a thin cloak with Muggle clothing underneath.

Perfect. This is just perfect.

He could see the others wrap themselves more tightly with their cloaks. Harry was still shivering slightly even though his cloak hugged his form tightly. Ginny was rubbing her hands together. Neville had chattering teeth. Luna was breathing hard on her hands and rubbing her arms. They walked to Hogsmeade, the neighboring Wizarding village.

Draco always looked at Hogsmeade as though it was a Christmas village. But now… now, it was giving the impression of an abandoned one. Several stores were boarded up like the ones in Diagon Alley. The only ones standing were the Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, the Hog's Head, and numerous stores that Draco hadn't realized until today.

"All right, gather round," Professor McGonagall ordered, "and hold hands with Neville, so we can Apparate. Minister, are you done?"

"Yes," Kingsley replied while stowing his wand inside his cloak as a silver lynx leapt into the darkness, "I've just sent a message to the Aurors that we will be with Neville."

They nodded and held hands with Neville. Professor McGonagall was beside him, then Luna, then Draco, then Harry, Ginny, and Kingsley.

"Are you ready?" Neville asked. They all nodded. "Okay,"

The next thing Draco knew, he was being forced into a tight rubber tube. He felt Harry's hand twist dangerously away and doubled his grip. After being driven to near suffocation, he felt his feet slam into ground.

"Hey, Neville," Draco heard Ginny say timidly.

"Yeah?" answered Neville.

"Why the hell are we in a forest?"

* * *

**A/N: **Hehe. I had a bit of fun at the first part. *giggles*

Tell me guys what you think. I'm going to update a lot tonight, because I was making this story and was saving it for my friends to see and I thought to just upload it here. It now has ten chapters, and, well, I think I'll update on a Sunday, a Saturday, or a holiday. Hahaha. :DD

Again, review. And Sorry for pestering. Nyeh.


	7. Knives and Dreams

Draco opened his eyes at those words. They were definitely in the woods. The trees were so close that they formed a little clearing where all of them fitted. Between the gaps of the bushes there was another clearing where a small and shabby-looking tent lay.

"Yes," Harry whispered, looking at the tent with misty eyes, "Neville, you're such a genius!"

"Why?" the others except Harry and Neville said.

"This is where we – Ron, Hermione, and me – stayed. We Apparate every day to a random place so that the Death Eaters wouldn't find us while searching for Horcruxes, pieces of Voldemort's soul," all of them winced at the name, "seriously, am I the only one instead of Dumbledore to say that?"

"So," Draco continued, ignoring the last comment as realization dawned on him, "this was the last place where the tent lay when you were captured by Greyback and dragged to my house?"

"That's right."

They made sounds of agreement and nods of understanding. But Draco voiced something aloud.

"Why the hell would Weasley take Hermione to a tent? You don't think…?"

"Oh, no," Harry said, blushing slightly at the thought, "It's because – well, I don't really know the reason. Maybe it's the place where Hermione finally set aside the fact that Ron left us for weeks just because of lack of food and came back after the Christmas holidays…"

"He did what?" Ginny shrieked, outraged. The Professor looked around for disturbances, and sighed in relief.

"Good thing I casted the _Muffliato," _Luna said calmly, showing them her wand. Harry nodded appreciatively and she grinned.

"Well, then, let's go," and with that Kingsley led them towards the tent. Voices were heard, shouting, arguing in a heated way.

"Ronald, I never thought you would do such a thing-"

"I told you to shut up!" Ron shouted in a hoarse way and there was a loud thumping noise, and Hermione whimpered, scared. McGonagall gasped.

"Who's there?" Ron asked into the darkness. Kingsley waved his wand to cast the Disillusionment Charm, and Draco felt something cold trickle down his back. Ron came out, pale, his hand wrapped around his wand tightly. Harry and Draco bumped into each other, and Harry led Draco inside slowly as Ron circled their clearing fearfully.

Draco crawled between the tent flap and what he saw was a flat, not a tent. There were books, a lot of them, a double-bunk bed, a small purse, and a small wireless. Hermione was slumped in the corner, crying silently with her hands on her hair. She was still wearing pajamas.

"Draco, come here," Harry's voice said, and he was dragged under the Invisibility Cloak. Harry tapped his wand on top of Draco's head, making something warm trickle down his back.

"I lifted the Charm," he informed, while doing the same with himself.

"Someone's coming," Draco muttered and they crouched down so their feet won't be seen. Ron entered, grumbling.

"Now, where was I, sweetie?" he said to Hermione mockingly. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. "You're mine."

"No!"

Ron turned around in time to see Draco disarming him. His wand flew out of his hand and was caught by Draco. Flushed by his success, he walked towards Hermione, whose eyes were shining with joy.

"Give her back," he ordered. Ron dropped her chin.

"She's all yours, ferret," he said.

Draco left the wands on the counter, crouched immediately and caressed Hermione. She cried into his chest, and Draco patted her on the back while saying soothing words to her hair.

"You were mine, Hermione," Ron said from behind, and they turned to see he was holding a knife with the wands discarded at the tent entrance, "and I can't accept the fact that Malfoy got you."

"That's because he's ultimately better than you," Hermione cried.

Ron grinned, a deranged one. He had a red glint in his eyes that horribly reminded the two of…

"Well, then, I can accept that. What I can't is that he got you, Hermione, from me." He paused, letting the words sink in. Then he raised the knife, "If I can't have you, no one can."

The knife plunged down, and Draco and Hermione closed their eyes so they wouldn't feel the sharp stab that never came.

* * *

"Don't you dare stab them," Harry said, catching the knife and discarding it outside with his free hand. The other was holding his dear old holly-and-phoenix feather wand that had its first time to betray his owner's best mate.

He walked over the Stunned figure of Ron, his mouth opened in a surprised matter, his eyes still holding the red glint that Voldemort was ever famous of. Is he possessed? Or is he just channeling Voldemort's spirit? Was that even possible?

Harry tapped his wand on top of the mess of red hair and said, "_Obliviate_." Ron's eyes were misty and unfocused.

"Hey, it's okay," he said as he tapped the two lovebirds hugging as though there was no tomorrow. They opened their eyes timidly, looked at Harry grinning at them, and then at Ron who was motionless, and they got up, blushing.

"Come on, we've got to get you back to Hogwarts, and get Ron a personal Howler in the Burrow. Oh, and we'll have to return this to that bloke in the Ministry, Perkins," Harry added. Hermione took the little purse.

"I'll come with you to the Ministry. Can you wait outside while I change?" she requested while tugging a pair of jeans and a purple tee shirt from the bag.

"Let me guess," Draco said, amazed and a little smug, "You put an Undetectable Extension Charm?"

"You always surprise me."

"I try my best."

Harry cleared his throat loudly and pointedly. They stopped giving eye contact and Draco walked sheepishly out while Harry winked at Hermione playfully while dragging Ron in a harsh way.

They went outside to see that the party grew in number. The Weasley family was there except for Fred, who was killed in the war, and Ron, who was being dragged by Harry. The Aurors were there, and so was Bill Weasley's wife, Fleur Delacour, who was as beautiful as ever even if her features were torn between worry and disgust.

"Oh, Harry!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she enveloped him in a tight hug while profusely apologizing about whatever Ron has done. Mr. Weasley was getting ready to Apparate Ron to the Burrow. George, Fred's twin, Bill, Charlie, and Percy all conversed with Draco, having been convinced by Ginny that he was dead worried.

"I never knew you were a good person," George was saying jokingly.

"That's because of my father," Draco said disgustingly. He was now free to speak his mind about his father because he had a life sentence in Azkaban. His mother was on house arrest because Harry defended her when she lied to Voldemort about Harry being dead. Draco was ever grateful.

"Well, no doubt about that," Charlie said, and they all laughed.

"I'm ready!"

"Oh, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley shrieked as Hermione came out of the tent. She clung to her tightly and said promises about disciplining her son every day.

"Mrs. Weasley, it's alright, really. I wouldn't blame Ron when he over reacted when he saw me and Draco together," Mrs. Weasley looked at Draco, surprised that he was here, "but I never knew he would be so… emotional… about this. I mean, 'If I can't have you, no one can'? I feel like I'm the leading lady in a corny soap opera."

Draco and Mrs. Weasley laughed. Draco shook hands with Mr. Weasley, who just arrived from his house, and was surprised that his personality was perfectly in contrast with his father. Mr. Weasley acted as though the scene in Flourish and Blotts in second year never happened and treated Draco like Harry, like a son.

"We really have to get going; we still have to return the tent to Perkins," Harry said to Kingsley.

"It's not necessary, we can give it back to him," the Minister replied kindly, "You best be going back to Hogwarts."

"Not Ronald he isn't," Mrs. Weasley said shrilly, and the minister laughed.

Professor McGonagall ushered them all to hold hands and they went back to Hogsmeade. They trudged up the ground and arrived to the warm confines of the castle. The headmistress shooed Filch away, who was looking flustered by so many students out of bed.

"Well, err," Harry said, "Thanks for everything, guys. Thanks, Neville, for the location. Thanks, Luna, for that handy Muffliato charm. Thanks, Professor, for assisting us. Thanks, Ginny, for explaining to the others about us. And thanks, Draco, for understanding us."

"It's no problem," all of them said.

"Well, I've got to go to bed, now. Bye, everyone! Good night!" Luna said as she waved and walked towards Ravenclaw Tower.

"Yeah, we've got to go, too. Especially you, Draco," Hermione added as Draco yawned hugely. Harry chuckled.

"Well, okay, I'll go to bed. Good night everyone. Sweet dreams, Hermione," he said, and he laughed when Professor McGonagall nudged her playfully.

* * *

"Harry, don't give me that look!"

"You didn't say that to McGonagall after Draco said 'Sweet dreams' to you."

"That's different, she's McGonagall!"

Ginny laughed as Harry continued to give Hermione a kind of 'lovebird' look. Hermione was getting embarrassed after every moment. Professor McGonagall even set her aside to congratulate her with being friends – and maybe more, she hinted - with someone from Slytherin. And she even advised her about relationships! The nerve!

"Uh, fine, I'm going to bed," she muttered, repressing a yawn. She walked slowly towards her bed and fell asleep at once when she hit the mattress.

* * *

She was at the end of the bridge with a girl with brown hair and grey-blue eyes and a boy with blonde hair and hazel eyes. If she was conscious, she would have asked who were they, but in her dream, they were friends. They were walking uncertainly to an old broken down bridge, with planks missing. They clung tightly to the ropes at the side, inching towards the other end of the bridge, hoping against hope that none of them would fall on the raging water below.

At last, they made it! But there was another bridge, a metal one. The sides were metal, and when they looked down, no water was to be found, but rocks, sharp and pointy. They walked onto it calmly. But when they were halfway, a slight earthquake began. The other girl clung tightly to the boy, while Hermione looked at them in horror. The earthquake stopped as quickly as it started. They trudged up again, this time, more quickly. Another earthquake went, and they were thrown to the middle of the bridge again.

"What do we do?" she screamed to the boy. The boy shook his head. The girl only whimpered. As soon as the earthquake stopped, they ran to the end.

The dream changed.

"Hey-hey guys," she muttered. No one answered. Hermione was scared. She never liked being alone. It made her feel vulnerable at any way possible. There could be someone ready to stab her in the back, someone to fall on her from above, and someone to grab her from below.

Next thing, she knew, she was lying on something soft. She opened her eyes and saw she was moving while lying. The sky was a cloudless blue, and she was passing by Hogwarts. She pushed herself in a sitting position and looked around. She gasped.

Draco, Hermione, and Ginny was beside where she lay, crying, and so many people behind her. She turned her head around and saw that she had a procession. All had bent heads and shaking shoulders. She looked down and felt herself cringe.

Why the hell was she in a black coffin?

She understood, and called out to her friends. No one answered. No one dared to look up while crying. She didn't have a voice. A slow song was being played up front where her parents were. Even Ron, who was handcuffed to two Aurors, was weeping.

She was starting to panic. She didn't want to be buried six feet underground _alive. _She had to find a way.

Finally, she felt someone look up. It was the brown haired girl again. She stopped crying at the sight of her sitting up, and she cried to all who was in her vicinity to look.

They stopped crying when they saw Hermione sitting up in the coffin. Then someone, she didn't know who, forced her down again, put a glass boundary around her, and closed the coffin, driving her to suffocation.

She was still lying on something soft. She was still panting. But she wasn't in a coffin anymore.

* * *

**A/N: **Eh… Hope it wasn't too much. I added just a twist about something there. Those dreams Hermione had… well… both the last and the new one I had. The new one, I'm scared of. And the last one I think was real, because our country… well… I won't go into details. :) Those two strangers really were in my dreams, and I just had a little fun with this. Sorry. :/ I just inserted that second bridge thingy. I dreamt that months ago; and I 'edited' their appearance, especially the boy, who was supposed to be black-haired and golden-eyed (I always thought he was wearing contacts, I'm not sure. LOL).

I ALSO added another twist. I just woke up after staring into the clouds while sitting up and closing my eyes, and then I found myself on the bed again. I just made another interesting swing with that mysterious – and not to mention rude – someone.

Again, revieeew, because if you were a fellow author, then you'd know the importance of it. :DD

And, yes, it's weird of McGonagall to nudge Hermione. xDDD


	8. Interpretations and Such

Hermione sat up, shaking. She needed to tell somebody. Not that she expected something from her dream, but she needed closure badly.

"GINNY!" she screamed. After a few moments Ginny bounded through the door, panting.

"Hermione, don't scream through the wall like that! What are you – Mione, what happened?" she said, horrorstruck at her best friend.

"Why? What's wrong?" Hermione asked, feeling her face.

"You're deadly pale, like Draco. Your lips are like a corpse's, and your hair is so much bushier. Your face is covered with sweat, and judging from the tracks in your cheeks, you've been crying. What the hell happened?"

"Ginny, I… I don't want to talk about it right now. I'll tell you at breakfast."

"Okay. You promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

Hermione sighed as her best friend slowly closed the door. She sat down on her bed again and she covered her face with her hands.

She knew what happened to the metal bridge. She dreamt of that last summer. The boy and the girl were familiar and at the same time unfamiliar. Where did she see them? No, she hadn't seen them except in her dreams. The only new things were the broken down bridge and the coffin…

Her coffin… she shivered just thinking of it.

And who was that who shut her inside the coffin? He or she was an enemy, no doubt. It couldn't be Ron, he was handcuffed. Neither could it be Draco, Harry, or Ginny, for they were jumping in joy when they saw Hermione alive and well.

She shook her head vigorously. Why was she getting worked up on a silly dream?

She showered and dressed quickly. Even though it was a Sunday, she's always energized. She ran down and was surprised when Draco was waiting by the portrait hole.

"Good morning, Hermione," he greeted as she toppled out of the portrait. She gasped and he chuckled.

"G-good morning, Draco," she stuttered and smiled slightly when he helped her get up.

"Do you mind if I stay at your table today?" he asked as they walked towards the Great Hall, "Pansy doesn't mind anything very much because she's with Theo, and Blaise said I could. But I don't think that the Gryffindors would be friendly – "

"You worry too much, Draco, I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I hope it is." He replied sadly as they entered the Great Hall. For once the Slytherins were quiet not with shock, but with amusement. They all know that Draco had a huge crush on Hermione, and they didn't mind that because she could turn heads from every house in a second.

The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were astounded except for Luna Lovegood, who gave them a double thumbs-up. The teachers were gaping at the two except for Professor McGonagall. But most of all, the Gryffindors were mute. Their breakfasts were forgotten and the only sounds were from Neville, Harry, and Ginny who were beckoning them to sit beside them.

"Man, they are so shocked," Draco said, chuckling, as the whole Gryffindor House leaned over their table, still gaping, to get a closer look.

"Don't worry, I talked to them last night and they said they accepted you. But their surprised that of all the Gryffindors you first befriended it was the group you hated for so long." Ginny explained as she pulled out a thin, purple book. "Now, Hermione, tell us what happened last night."

"Something happened?" The boys asked at once. Hermione quieted down and told them the whole story.

"…and then someone closed the coffin on me and I can't breathe and the next thing I knew I was on my bed again." She finished. Ginny was holding a notebook and a pen, jotting down the major points. Neville and Harry were pale. Draco was… blank. He was staring at her, holding her hand comfortingly when he himself was disturbed.

"Well, let's take a look about what it means," Ginny said, breaking the silence. She flipped through the purple book labeled '_THE MEANING OF YOUR DREAMS'. _It had a dragon in a corner, two horses in another, a snake on the third, and a pair of scales in the last.

"First point, you were in a bridge. It was broken down. That means… it's a warning for you not to make hasty decisions. Next point, there was an earthquake when you were halfway down the bridge. It says here that if someone interrupts you, your lover will deceive you. Well, it wasn't a 'someone', it was a 'something', so hurray for Draco!" she cried, and all heads turned towards her, Draco and Hermione blushing.

"But… it was an earthquake, and it says here that 'it implies great losses to business, bereavement, death, quarrels, and conflicts. It is also a sign of national calamities, commercial distress, and even war.' That's not good; another war won't make Hogwarts stand a chance," Ginny continued, and they all laughed.

"Third point, you were in a coffin. Oh dear," she said, her eyes widening, "It means the death of some dear friend."

Her words sunk in like a deadly weight. Someone will die? And there was going to be a war? Well that makes sense; losses were made in every war.

"Okay, last point; Ron was handcuffed. 'This is a bad dream because it denotes that if you are not cautious over your propensities, you will fall into temptation and crime for which you will have to suffer severely.' Been there, done that."

"So let me sum it up. I won't have to make hasty decisions, or there'd be a war, and I'm going to bear with the loss of a dear friend. And Ron would be in some sort of crime." Hermione said. Ginny nodded and shivered.

"Well this is a load of dung, then," Harry said, confused and scared.

"No, it isn't. I dreamt that metal bridge before. I was with those two strangers. And my lines were perfectly copied. I dreamt it exactly before, only now it's more vivid. I made hasty decisions when I obliviated my parents. Then there was a war here at Hogwarts. It's true."

"Let's just put it aside for now," Neville said timidly as he reached for a sugar-coated croissant. The others silently agreed and they made small talk away from Hermione's dreams. Draco made her laugh numerous times and they would blush whenever someone said they looked cute together.

"So, what do you guys usually do on Sundays?" Draco asked as Luna drifted to them from the Ravenclaw table.

"We usually do our homework, but they're already done," Harry said.

"Why don't we go for a picnic again?" Hermione suggested.

"That's sounds good. I'll help the house elves to prepare the food right away," Draco said, and he made to stand up, accidentally showing everyone their still entwined fingers.

"So you were holding hands, huh?" Ginny stated slyly. Both of them blushed as Draco sat down. Harry had an 'I knew it' expression and was smiling. Neville, on the other hand, was so shocked he choked on a piece of cereal and spat it out. Luna was the only one serene enough to look at them with suppressed glee.

"Let's not talk about it now. Draco, I'll help, I don't want those elves working hard." Hermione added, taking Ginny's chance to retort away.

"Then let's go," Draco said, and proudly showing everyone their holding hands they walked out of the Great Hall, snickering at the mass of people impersonating fishes.

"I swear Pansy looked like a sea cow that's been on the surface for two hours too long," Draco said, bursting with laughter.

"Yeah, and Theo was getting her attention back by snogging her on the neck! He looked like a vampire," Hermione wheezed.

They walked all the way to the kitchens, stopping when they saw something interesting. Then Hermione remembered something.

"Who does Blaise have the hots for?" she suddenly asked. Draco felt a slight pang of jealousy.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because – now don't say anything, but, Luna liked him ever since she was in second year."

"Oh," he said, his spirits soaring. "Yeah, he has the hots for Luna, too."

"Really?" she said as Draco nodded. "Wow, she'll love to hear that!"

"Blaise will, too."

"Ginny wanted me to ask you about the girl you like."

Hermione looked away, blushing. Draco smirked at her back.

"Well, let's just say I held her hand," he said.

"Oh, really?" she asked.

"Yes. And I still am."

Hermione's cheeks colored in a satisfying sort of way. He squeezed her hand gently and he received one in return.

"I like you, too, Draco," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah, Harry told me,"

"He knew?"

"He realized, and, well… he heard me profess, actually. I screamed it on the Astronomy tower."

"What if Filch caught you?" Hermione said, shocked.

"I shut Mrs. Norris inside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She loved cats. And Filch was away; he had a cold, and his ears were full of wax."

"Nice," she said appreciatively. They continued to walk, their eyes glazed, their spirits in cloud nine.

* * *

"How do you open the kitchens again?" Draco asked Hermione as she looked for the painting of the bowl of fruit.

"You'd have to tickle the pear. Ah, here it is!" she exclaimed. She tickled the pear. It giggled and turned into a door knob.

They looked around and were pained when a sea of elves bowed low to them. Hermione was shocked when she saw what was on Draco's face.

"I never knew you were against slavery of elves, too," she said.

"I was the one who talked Dobby into freedom. He didn't like it, at first, but when I said about how freedom was great, he was the one unnerving,"

"Where's Kreacher?" Hermione asked a house elf.

"He's there, ma'am!" The elf replied in a squeaky tone. It pointed to a dark corner where Kreacher is, taping a picture frame that held a photograph of Hermione, Ron, and Harry smiling after the war.

"Hello, Kreacher," Hermione greeted. The old house elf jumped and bowed low.

"Mistress," he said in a bullfrog voice. He looked up and saw Draco, and bowed low, too. "Sir Draco… What do they want, Kreacher wonders?"

"We would like you, please, to make us picnic food," Hermione said as the house elf nodded his wrinkled head, "and we will help. No objections, all of you," she addressed the other house elves, "Consider it as an order."

"Yes, Madame," they said and they went away, leaving a red-eyed house elf in a skirt with soup stains behind.

"Oh, dear," Hermione said, approaching the elf, "Winky, have you been drinking, again?"

"Winky? Is she really Bartemius Couch's house elf? What's she doing here?" Draco asked.

"Yes, it is Mr. Crouch's house elf. She went here with Dobby when they were both freed, and Dumbledore took them in. Dobby got paid a Galleon a week and one holiday every month."

"That's not very much!" Draco replied.

"That's exactly what I said, too, but he said Dumbledore offered him ten Galleons a week and weekends off. He practically shivered at the thought."

"Oh… And what did you say before? Winky drinks?"

"Yes, she drinks butterbeer. It's not strong, so the drinker doesn't get tipsy. But apparently for house elves it is strong and, well…" She gestured to the bleary eyed Winky who was hiccupping.

"Okay," he said slowly, "Let's get started with the food."

They started baking and cooking, all the while smiling, or else blushing when they catch the other looking at themselves. Kreacher always muttered about his dear old Regulus Arcturus Black, but they didn't care. They were getting used to it.

They were acting a little bit immature, and they ended up with a mess after throwing flour at each other. Draco slipped on the floor and hit his back on the wall while Hermione also slipped and landed beside him. The house elves were happy to clean the flour so they could have an excuse to work. They also wanted to know what happened to the two. Were they in love? How did it happen?

"Kreacher, would you please finish up the last batch of cookies?" Hermione asked, standing up and helping Draco.

"Of course, Madame," the house elf said, bowing low.

"Come on, we've got to go and have a shower," Draco ushered as the house elves waved good bye, "I won't have you having flour in your hair."

"Hark who's talking; who's got the flour inside his shirt today?" She smirked and they both laughed as they put flour on each other's noses like lovers would do with their wedding cake.

"I'll meet you at the front doors, then," Hermione said, and kissing Draco's cheek again, she skipped to the Gryffindor Common Room, oblivious to the jealous giggles of the Fat Lady.

* * *

"Hey, guys! Here's the food!"

"Wow! These look great, Hermione!"

Harry peered into the bag where tarts and cookies and finger foods were. Kreacher was rewarded with a picture of Regulus that the trio found after the war, and the aged house elf bade them goodbye, teary-eyed.

"Hermione, Draco, me and Neville found a nice place to have a picnic!" Luna called, her multi-colored summer dress flowing with the breeze. She adjusted the sunglasses sitting on her blonde hair and skipped away, revealing flat doll shoes.

"Hey, you look great, Hermione!" Harry gestured. Hermione was wearing a flowing plain white dress that ended just above her knees. It had a green-and-silver ribbon circling her waist and ending in a ribbon at her back. Her hair, also adorned by a green-and-silver ribbon, gracefully fell down her shoulders, and her shoes proudly declared similarly cute doll shoes as to Luna's.

"I want to say the same to you, Harry," Hermione replied. Harry was wearing a plain red tee-shirt with his Gryffindor tie loosely hanging. His hands were deep into the pockets of his jeans, and sneakers were all the rage with boys. His dark hair clashed magnificently with the scarlet hue, and the green eyes shone at the compliment.

"Hey you guys," Ginny hollered from afar. Her red hair flew back as she walked against the direction of the wind. She was wearing a red-and-gold checkered polo that was unbuttoned, and underneath was a plain white tee shirt. Her faded and torn jeans and light converse shoes completed her attempt to look like a country girl.

"You look great, Gin," both Hermione and Harry said.

"And you look… Slytherin; beautifully so, I might add," Ginny replied. Hermione grinned. "Oh, look, it's Draco!"

There, indeed, was Draco, looking as breathtaking as ever. He was wearing another polo shirt, this time black with silver markings, jeans, and sneakers, like Harry. His white-blonde hair wasn't slicked back as usual, but it was a little bit tousled and it fell on his stormy grey eyes.

"Hermione… wow," was all he was able to say. Apparently, she was as breathtaking as him.

"It's the same here," she said and grinned. "Come on, let's go or else we won't see what Neville dressed into!"

Draco laughed and let him get dragged by the hand. The first they saw was a shaded area below a beech tree beside the lake. Luna was leaning on the tree, looking up at the branches and smiling.

"Oh, good, you're all here," Neville said, inviting them. He was wearing a red-and-gold-striped polo shirt, paired with jeans and sneakers. His hair fell naturally to his eyes, and he was glad to finally be with a group of cool people.

"Neville, you look great!" Hermione shrieked, gesturing his attire with one hand as the other was holding Draco's hand.

"Thanks, Hermione. You two _really_ are meant to be. You have contrasting colors, black and white, and Slytherin colors, green and silver." They blushed as they looked at each other's clothes. "And you're blushing. That means you didn't speak of any arrangement."

They all sat down onto the picnic blanket Harry had just set out. They formed a triangle with the food in the middle. Harry and Ginny were on the side, talking. Neville and Luna was on the other, discussing what Luna was looking at a while ago. Hermione and Draco were leaning their backs on the tree, his arm around her shoulders, his hand holding hers, while they looked lazily, and at the same time happily, at their surroundings.

"You know, I'm glad I befriended you and Harry first," Draco said. Hermione turned around to look at him questioningly.

"Why?"

"It is because Harry can keep a secret. He is a loyal friend, and a very helpful alliance. And I'm glad because I had a chance to befriend you before I professed personally."

Hermione grinned. It was really worth it to have Draco as a friend, and more. And now she has a plan.

If he ever asked her about being his girlfriend, she would definitely say yes.

* * *

**A/N: **Were you creeped out by Ginny's interpretation? I got a book about it here, and I was scared to death about that coffin. I practically shivered and my mom put me under a blanket and ordered my dad to cook some soup. Haha. :DD

For the next chapter, there's a pleasant surprise, in which Hogwarts is going partly Muggle. *grins mischievously* And even if it doesn't say in the chapter, she stalled because of the dream about the broken bridge.

Oh, disclaimer. THE BOOK 'THE MEANING OF YOUR DREAMS' is not mine, but someone who's surname is 'Santiago'. I don't remember. :)


	9. Hogwarts Musical

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN anything that is mentioned in this chapter except for the plot. The mention of songs, lyrics, and characters are to their own respected owners.**

* * *

"Please, Ginny, tell me you didn't sign us up for _that._"

Hermione was horrorstruck when the redhead nodded.

"Ginny!" she shrieked, and she chased her around the Gryffindor Tower. Ginny was laughing because Hermione was never much of a runner. After half an hour they both slumped back to their armchairs, flushed, panting, and sweaty. Harry was beside them, holding a flyer showing the event Ginny signed them up for.

"'_Hogwarts Musical…' _It sounds like an opera show or something." He said, "Ginny, are you sure you signed us up?"

Ginny nodded again. "I told them that we will be a band! Hermione would be the lead singer and lead guitarist. I'll be the bass guitarist and second voice. Harry, you'll be the secondary guitarist and Neville would play the drums! Isn't it great?"

They groaned. Ginny was acting hyper these days because she eavesdropped on Hermione playing her guitar and singing. Ever since that day, she, too, practiced the bass, which she didn't play for three years now. She was constantly jumping around, annoying Hermione to hell with the words 'we' and 'band' and 'guitarist' and 'contest'. And it was just Ginny's luck when Professor McGonagall heard that Hermione could play the guitar and now she hosted a musical event.

Perfect! This is just perfect…

"Ginny, this is on _Friday, _the _day after tomorrow! _And I was supposed to meet Draco that day because it's his birthday!" Hermione said sadly.

"Don't worry about that, now we practice!" Ginny said clapping her hands as she ran to get her bass guitar. Hermione groaned.

"Harry, I'm going to talk to Draco for a moment," she said.

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry about, you know, not being there on Draco's birthday," he said uncertainly.

"I'm sorry, too. I'll send your apologies to him."

"Thanks, Hermione."

She waved at him and then went outside, looking for Draco. He passed by his favorite places: the Astronomy Tower, the Great Hall, and the Charms Corridor. He wasn't there, hair nor hide. He asked several people about his whereabouts, but that was no good. She went to the library, and happened to bump into…

"Oh, hey, Hermione," said Blaise Zabini kindly. "Are you looking for Draco?"

Silently, she nodded. Since when was Blaise kind to her?

"I'll go get him, he's inside. Wait for him here, alright?" he said, and without further ado, went back inside.

Several minutes passed and Draco appeared, looking flustered.

"What's up, Hermione? You look sad tonight," he remarked.

"I'm sorry, Draco, but I couldn't be with you on your birthday," she said faintly.

"Oh. That's too bad," he said.

"Yeah, it is. You know about this 'Hogwarts Musical'? Well, Ginny signed us all up as a band. I can't get out of it, it's a contract, and Ginny signed me up as the lead singer and lead guitarist."

"Don't worry, Hermione," Draco soothed, "I know you'll do fine. As for me, well, it will be good to see your musical side."

"But, I can't ignore your birthday. It's so much more special to me than any event that McGonagall hosted."

"There's the silver lining." He said, and chuckled at Hermione's expression. He dragged her outside the castle until the beech tree. He pulled out his wand and transfigured something.

"Hermione, will you be my girlfriend?" he said, holding out a white rose.

Hermione was stunned. He was asking it, he was asking the question she waited for so long! She took the white rose and held it in her hands. How did he know that white roses were her favorite? She sniffed in the aroma. Then she flung her arms around him.

"I'll think about it," she whispered. And the next thing she knew Draco's lips were on hers, crashing into blissful oblivion, as his hands circled her waist and hoisted her up, twirling. The kiss was heaven while it lasted, and they broke apart, smiling in the moonlight.

Draco chuckled. He didn't care when she would be ready. He cheered, whooped into the heavens as Hermione sat in the grass beside him, smiling because she knew that he already knew her answer.

* * *

Hermione walked to her friends at the Gryffindor Common Room, her heart fluttering, her mind in the clouds. She was still holding the white rose Draco gave her, and she clutched it close to her heart.

She entered the tower, and Ginny stopped playing the bass immediately. She grinned at her in an evil matter.

Oh God. She already knew.

"Nice, Hermione," she said, thumping her on the back. Harry was grinning proudly.

"Y-you guys knew already?" she stuttered.

"Well, of course! We saw you by the window with Draco, then he held out that rose, then you kissed! And then after that Draco twirled you around and shouted to the heavens." Ginny recounted.

Hermione blushed. She hoped it was only these two who found out. It was already embarrassing enough.

"Did anyone else see us?" she said.

"No, it's only me and Harry."

"Thank God. I have something to tell you," she said and she took a deep breath, "He asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend."

"YES!" Ginny and Harry roared triumphantly as they played their guitars in an energized way. Hermione smiled.

"What did you answer?" Ginny asked suddenly.

"I said I'll think about it, but I think he already knows my answer," she replied. Harry continued playing his guitar. "Where'd you get those amplifiers, anyway? I thought electricity wasn't accepted at Hogwarts."

"We transfigured some cushions into amplifiers. Magic ones, so they wouldn't need electricity." Ginny said proudly.

"Well, alright, now let's get some sleep, I know a perfect song we can practice tomorrow and we can play it on the musical."

"Okay, Hermione, see you in the morning!"

Hermione felt herself slipping away from her consciousness, but the smile she wore ever since they kissed never faded away until morning.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to present the first annual Hogwarts Musical!"

The mass of people cheered at Professor McGonagall's words. They were sitting in chairs, and the headmistress ordered that a stage should be put up in the Great Hall. The performers were at the back, waiting for their name to be announced.

"And now, without further ado, let's call in Luna Lovegood of Ravenclaw singing the Muggle song 'Love the Way You Lie' with Anthony Goldstein!"

Draco's ears perked up. He looked at Blaise, who was acting very tense, his usual calm demeanor gone.

"Just gonna stand there and watch me burn; that's alright because I like the way it hurts…" Luna sang in a perfect impersonation of the singer. The crowd cheered.

Blaise jumped up and went to the backstage, leaving Draco alone in the front row. Luna finished singing the first lines of the song. The next would be Anthony Goldstein rapping.

Seconds passed, and nothing came.

"I can't tell you what it really is…" rapped a voice, and Blaise jumped onto the stage to the crowd's appreciation. Luna's eyes shone when he winked encouragingly.

"Blaise, you idiot," Draco muttered as the crowd cheered and clapped by this sudden change. Professor McGonagall was flustering herself about the program.

Their voices blended together perfectly. Blaise's deep voice contrasted in Luna's calm one. They were singing as though it was normal that first to seventh and eighth years would ogle at a Ravenclaw and Slytherin.

Luna ended the song in a catchy tune, and the crowd whooped its approval. Blaise smiled, took Luna's hand and kissed it like armored knights would do. The whole crowd went jittery and giddy as Luna blushed.

"That was a very nice song, Luna and Blaise," Professor McGonagall acknowledged, "and now we will see a rather extraordinary performance from Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom in the song 'Fall To Pieces' by Avril Lavigne!"

Draco was stunned when Hermione walked out onto the stage. She was going to sing four songs continuously? Her hair was straight and gracefully curled itself in the end. She was holding an acoustic guitar that slung around her thin figure, and her hand held a small pick. She sighed and tried to ease her nervousness when she was interrupted by Ginny saying something on the microphone.

"We would like to dedicate this song to a fellow Hogwarts schoolmate who had captured Hermione Granger's heart. That man has the right to take care of it from now on. And it so happens that today is his birthday, so give it up for DRACO MALFOY!"

Draco's eyes widened as the crowd gasped and cheered as one. Draco smiled as the spotlight bore on him. He sought the eyes of Hermione, who winked, and she started to play on her guitar and Luna accompanying her in the organ.

_I looked away…_

…_then I looked back at you…_

Hermione's voice changed from her bossy demeanor into this calm one. The crowd cheered. They obviously know the song. Draco found it catchy, and with Hermione playing, his eyes were locked.

_You tried to say the things that you can't undo…_

Now Neville was playing, and Ginny, and Harry. All of them played magnificently, as though this wasn't a musical, as though it was a practice with no mistakes. Who knew that Harry Potter could play the guitar? Who knew that Neville could play the drums? Who knew that Ginny could play the bass? And who the hell knew that Hermione was one hell of a strummer?

Hermione was breaking into chorus. The mass behind Draco got ready to sing with her, and, somehow, Draco felt that he knew the song, and he sang, too.

"_And I don't want to fall to pieces, I just want to sit and stare you," _he sang, and he was surprised that he knew an Avril Lavigne song. He continued singing, _"And I don't want a conversation. I just want to cry in front of you. I don't want to talk about it…"_

"…_Coz I'm in love with you…" _both Draco and Hermione said. They blushed as Draco realized someone put in a microphone under his mouth.

Now that is classic.

He went up the stage, much to the appreciation of the deafening din. Hermione blushed as he winked playfully. When the song went _"Back under the stars, back into your arms…" _he circled his arms around Hermione's waist and twirled her around romantically. Blaise reentered the room, noticing that Draco was singing with her.

"Copycat," he muttered, and then he cheered for who knows how long. The Gryffindor and the Slytherin continued singing, letting their emotions out into the song.

"…_Coz I'm in love with you…"_sang Hermione, her eyes shining.

"…_I'm in love with you…_" replied Draco, smiling.

"…_I'm in love with you…" _they sang as they ended the song. Their eyes met, and they smiled.

"It's a yes, Draco; Happy Birthday," Hermione said into the microphone, and she kissed him there and then. The crowd cheered louder than when Gryffindor first overtook Slytherin in the InterHouse Championship, because the Slytherins were rejoicing, too. Professor McGonagall didn't dare interrupt the kiss, for every teacher found it amusing, too. Draco twirled her again, her arms locking around his neck, his wrapped around her waist.

They broke apart resentfully when Ginny told her it was time for the next song. Draco kissed her forehead encouragingly and went back to the front row, smiling smugly at the congratulations he received. He just smiled all the way through Hermione's performance, and at each interval he would be the one who cheered the loudest. He knew that she was giving her best, and that's because it was his birthday.

He was grateful for that, making his birthday special. She answered him on his birthday to make it more special than it already was. She poured her heart out, all her happiness, into the guitar, and Draco thought that somehow that guitar was becoming magic.

But it couldn't be. The one magic enough was his girlfriend, and no Muggle contraption could match that.

* * *

**A/N:** I think its a little fluffy. *fake vomit*

Uggh, I'm running low on chapter supplies. Good thing I wrote another one on YELLOW PAPER at school. They were bugging me to show them the chapter already. :)


	10. Ron's Rough Ride

Hermione never knew that being with the man of her dreams would have a deadly price to pay. Sure, she would have to endure gossip around the school, but for some reason, he felt like Harry did when he finally went public with Ginny. She kind of liked being talked about something that made her happy. The worst part of the gossip, however, was when the students tell it to the public maybe on Christmas Break, and who knows, maybe Rita Skeeter's ears would perk up and her Quick Quotes Quill would jump to her hand again.

Yes, she could handle that; Hermione Granger could handle a little gossip. But what she couldn't place was the reaction of Draco's parents.

"Don't worry about them," Draco said reassuringly one afternoon. It was the week before the break, and they wanted the best of it even if both of them will be staying at Hogwarts. They were sitting in the beech tree and Hermione was fidgeting around until Draco asked what was wrong. "Mother respects you even more ever since you fought in the War magnificently after you've been… you know… by Bellatrix. And my father's in Azkaban, so what can he do?"

"Do you really think they'll accept me with my blood status?" She persisted, the questions nagging her gushing out.

"Look, Hermione, I know I made a big deal about that in the past, and I admit I was a huge prat of doing so. My mother never really cared about blood status. Like me, she just showed her cold side to keep up with my father. She even told me once that she was planning on running away with a Muggle if it wasn't for her family announcing her betrothal to Lucius Malfoy."

"I never knew that."

"Neither did I, for eleven years, I might add. I told her I liked you when I went back home for Christmas Break, and she told me about it when I mentioned you were Muggleborn. She didn't mind, really, as long as I found someone."

"She seems very nice. I never knew why I was so… intimidated… on that day in Madam Malkins."

Draco laughed softly and made her look up by taking her chin gently. "Well, you know, after that, I told mother that the girl she just sneered at was you, and she made nods and appreciative gestures at my choice, but quietly, because the people at Twilfitt and Tatting's were eavesdropping."

"Wow." She said, smiling for the first time of the day.

"You're more beautiful when you smile." He remarked, smirking.

"Well, you never cease to make me smile, so blame it on you," she retorted, poking his ribs playfully. He squirmed. Hermione poked again.

"Stop it!" he exclaimed, covering his torso with his arms. Hermione's fingers were jutting out her hands, and they searched every possible opening for his body. They spent fifteen minutes like that; Hermione occasionally poking him, and Draco would laugh and prevent another attack.

"Gotcha," Draco muttered smugly as he raised Hermione's wrists into the air. Now it was her turn to squirm.

"Stop squirming," he said. When Hermione wouldn't stop, he swooped down and kissed her full on the lips, his hands sliding up to take Hermione's instead of her wrists.

"That's not fair," Hermione said, out of breath, and pouting.

"But you loved it, nevertheless," Draco said, letting her sit beside him again.

She nodded and blushed. Draco laughed.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Much, much better," she said, smiling again.

"Good. Now let's go back, it's getting dark and I very well know you hadn't eaten anything for lunch today," he said, smirking when the rumbling of her stomach became audible right on cue.

* * *

"SHIT!"

"Harry, just calm down; everything's going to be okay…"

"I will not calm down, Ginny Weasley!"

Heads turned as they saw the brave Harry Potter pale and panicky, jumping up from his bench at the Gryffindor Table at dinner. Was it something worse than Voldemort that made him blanch?

"Sit. Down," Ginny said warningly. Harry gave in with the look she was giving, and he sat down again meekly.

"How can you not react to this? I mean, Ron's going back! And Hermione and Draco just started their relationship!" Harry whined. Ginny threw him a piece of cheese.

"Oh, very funny, Ginny," Harry said, flicking the cheese from his sleeve.

"I said don't worry, Harry. He's been at the asylum – "

"What the hell was he doing in the asylum?"

"Keep your voice down, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, sitting right beside Ginny.

"Yeah, we could hear your voice when we were at the front doors," Draco added thoughtfully, sitting beside Hermione, "Honestly, you screamed 'I will not calm down, Ginny Weasley!' and it resounded all the way where we are…"

"And what did you say about an asylum?" both asked, Hermione in a dangerous tone while Draco was curious.

"Ron was dragged there – "

"What's an asylum first?"

"It's where 'crazy' people go for rehabilitation, in the Muggle way." Hermione replied, and Draco's face cleared.

"Yeah, okay. Now, Ron was in there," Ginny continued, "and he's been getting better. He's being cared for by old Xenophilius Lovegood."

"I never knew he was much of a Healer." Hermione mused amusingly.

"Neither did us, Hermione," Harry said, "So when's he returning?"

"He's going back NOW?" Hermione and Draco both asked again.

"Yes and no. He's going back, yes, but not right now. He'll be returning on Wednesday," Ginny answered.

They all sat in silence again; occasionally putting mouthfuls of food on their mouth, thinking and hoping that the four days in between that date would be enough for them all to get ready.

* * *

The castle's gate opened and in trudged two horseless carriages, or so it seemed to the innocent eye. The people inside got out, all eight of them. They walked towards the oak front doors, and one would constantly slip and fall on the hard ground.

The front doors opened and the people were welcomed by Professor McGonagall. Behind her were Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Draco, whom it seems she was holding hands with.

The one who constantly slipped walked into view, pale and sickly looking, with a knitted blanket draped over his shoulders. His red hair was a mess, his jaw was clenched not too tightly, and his blue eyes were blank, dull… dead.

* * *

Hermione tossed and turned on her bed that night. The picture of all seven of the Weasleys, except for Fred and Ginny, along with Xenophilius Lovegood, kept intruding her almost blank mind. The sight of Ron so vulnerable and fragile seemed to be unnerving.

She got up from her bed, pulled on a dressing gown, and walked down to the common room.

"Where are you going, Harry?" she asked, and the creeping figure froze, a crumpled piece of parchment in one hand, a silvery cloak in another.

"Oh, you're going out. Where are you going, by the way?" she continued.

"If you must know, I'm heading to the hospital wing. I can't sleep." He replied.

"Then I'll come, too. I've tossed and turned on my bed for nearly an hour." She said. Harry nodded and they both ducked under the Invisibility Cloak, ignoring the surprised squawks of the Fat Lady.

Harry was good at nighttime strolling. In first year, he managed to find the Mirror of Erised and the door to the then forbidden corridor. In third year, he was able to get him and Hermione back to the Hospital Wing after they set Sirius Black, Harry's deceased godfather, free. In fourth year, he managed to get away by a scratch because of the impostor 'Moody' and his magic eye seeing him waving around under the Invisibility Cloak, one leg plunged into the stairs' trick step, mouthing 'It's mine!' and pointing at the Marauder's Map.

They walked quietly and carefully, occasionally stopping when they were at intersections. They climbed some stairs and knocked on the door.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger, a sleeping Draught would come in handy," Madam Pomfrey stated after just one look at their pale and tired faces. "I have another seventh year here that can't sleep."

Hermione peered around and saw a flash of platinum blonde hair.

"Draco," she muttered to Harry, and he grinned.

"Pick a bed, dears, and I'll go get the potion ready," the nurse said, bustling about. They climbed into a bed beside Draco's. He was doing something under the blankets. Hermione pulled back his blankets roughly and he groaned.

"Hermione, why are you in the Slytherin dormitory?" he whispered, thinking he was dreaming.

"Silly, you're in the Hospital Wing. You said you couldn't sleep?" she said, and Draco nodded. She kissed his forehead lightly and squeezed his hand.

Harry looked at them in awe and glee, thinking what in the world was he thinking of putting aside his realizations since he caught Draco looking away from Hermione hurriedly in their first ever Potions class.

* * *

"Ron, what the hell happened to you?" Ginny shrieked when Hermione and Harry arrived.

"And where did you go?" she continued, rounding on the two. They both put their arms in the air on surrender.

"Chill, Gin. We couldn't sleep last night and we went to the Hospital Wing for a Sleeping Draught. Draco was also there, and that's where we spent the night." Harry said, clamping his hand to his mouth afterwards and looking at Ron fearfully. The redhead shrugged and looked out of the window.

"Gin, what happened?" Hermione asked delicately.

"I don't know, Mione, he's been like that ever since he woke up. Xeno said that he misses someone from the asylum, but he isn't so sure…"

"From the asylum, huh?" Harry piped.

"Ron?" Hermione asked tentatively. The addressed person looked at her without emotion, just… unnerving blank. "What happened at that place?"

She was expecting him to shout at her to mind her own business. She was expecting him to show his impassiveness and just stare out the window again and never give her an answer. If he was really a prat then he'd want this attention to get going.

What Hermione didn't expect, however, was Ron crying hysterically into his fists and rocked himself on the balls of his feet, which jumped from the floor and onto the armchair.

"I want to go home!" he garbled in between sobs. Ginny looked around fearfully, and then sighed in relief when she saw that they were the only ones in the common room.

"I don't want to be in here!" he continued, "That… That place was my home! I feel at ease there with my friends! I miss her!" he shouted as he jumped onto Harry and clung onto his shirt and showed him his tear-streaked face.

Ginny ushered him back on his seat, and Hermione gave him a glass of water. He drank clumsily, half of the water spilling on his faded shirt. He gasped at the end of the drink, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and put the glass down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Harry said, concerned for his best mate. Ron nodded and launched into story.

"After Dad Apparated me home, he was really disappointed. He called Xenophilius to take care of me while he was gone. And in came… Luna." He said, and his face shone. "She took care of me really good, and once the family was back at my house, they went and dropped me off of Xeno's rook-like house.

"There were people there, mostly Muggles, but there were a few wizards there, too. Some were tortured by the Death Eaters; others went crazy on their own watching their family die. Luna took great care of me, and I didn't get loony as them. But they were civil to me, and they congratulated me on a job well done of helping you guys defeat You-Know-Who.

Every day I would look forward to seeing Luna. I'd get all nervous and excited about it. When I cooled down a little, I would slip into the dining hall and grab a couple of mugs full of coffee. I don't care. I kept transfiguring them to dust and complain to Luna that I can't sleep. Of course, she'd go to my room and hand me a Sleeping Draught. I don't care if I really get into coffee; I just wanted to see her even right before I sleep."

"So… you miss Luna, huh?" Ginny stated bluntly, a hint of slyness in her voice. Ron nodded vigorously and looked around as though expecting Luna was in there with him.

* * *

"Luna! Luna, come here for a moment!"

Seconds later Luna appeared at the Gryffindor Table, her hair a little flustered but otherwise her breathing was fairly normal. It was lunch, and no one was talking to her, so Ginny wanted to have her company.

"Yes, Ginny?" she said, smiling.

"Join us here, please," she replied, scooting over for the blonde to sit in. She did gracefully, and greeted Harry, Hermione, Draco (who was now accustomed to going to the Gryffindor Table at every meal), and Ron, who blushed as she gave him an extra kiss on the cheek, not noticing everyone smirk knowingly.

"Well, Ronald, I see you've been doing well," she said formally, taking the food she had on her plate on the Ravenclaw Table.

"Yeah, thanks to your help," he said meekly. Hermione stared. Who knew Ron was formal and civil when it comes to talking with the one he loved?

They sat in silence for a few moments. After that Ron attempted to have small talk with Luna, and Draco and Harry would snort into their food every time Ron slipped on his own words. Their girlfriends would smack them not too playfully and they'd scowl. After lunch, Luna's eyes glanced towards a certain someone far away when Ron asked her to spend the afternoon together walking around the grounds.

"See you later, everyone!" they both said at the bottom of the steps, and they rushed towards the side of the castle so they'd have some privacy.

Walking back, Ginny blurted out suddenly, "If they have kids, I'm sure its hair would be a strawberry-blonde."

Draco, who was drinking from a water bottle, spat the contents out.

"What?" he said, letting Hermione dab a handkerchief on his wet face. Harry knew he was holding in something, and he slapped him on the back, making him break into raucous peals of laughter.

"Ah, what a thought," he said dreamily, wiping a tear off his eye and still smiling.

"Yeah, it is. But why did you have to think about that so suddenly?" Hermione asked, blushing at the thought.

"Hey, a girl can let loose her imagination, can't she?" Ginny replied indignantly.

"Yes, she can. But not in that way, Ginny."

Hermione and Draco doubled up in laughter as they watched Ginny chasing Harry around the Great Hall with her wand out, Harry running around for his precious life. Besides, if it was a choice between Voldemort and Ginny who would kill him…

…he'd choose Voldemort.

* * *

**A/N: **Nice one, Harry. :DD

Ah, I love it. And I have imagined a situation wherein Blaise will be 'embarrassed' when he learns Muggle sayings. *hint hint*

REVIEEEEW!


	11. The Voodoo Marionettes

Hermione was walking on the corridor alone, again. The whole castle was ALMOST deserted, because, of course, it was the first day of Christmas Break. All the students in Gryffindor left except for her, Ginny and Harry. On the upside, Draco and Blaise were also staying, and Luna was, too.

She went into the library, completely forgetting that Madam Pince now closes her sanctuary in time of School Breaks. She faced the oak doors and laughed her head off. Really, can Christmas make you that narrow-minded?

She hurriedly went away, when something wafted through her nose. It became stronger as she took another step. Once at the end of the corridor, there was someone… giggling?

A tinkling of bottles was heard. One rolled out and stopped right in front of Hermione. 'Cooking Sherry?' she thought, reading the label. Then, it hit her.

Oh, shit.

A woman with a hunched back, giant eyes, wild hair, and heavy shawls jumped out, making Hermione let out a bloodcurdling scream. The woman, Professor Trelawney of Divination, spoke in a seemingly sweet and bitter tone.

"Hello, dear," she said, "I missed you in my classes… or shall I say my half-classes, because of that troublesome DOBBIN wrecking all what I earned for in 16 years!"

The professor stopped ranting, went rigid, and fell over. Hermione caught her and felt her shaking.

"Help!" she screamed down the stairs, "Help!"

"What happened?" Draco's voice said. Moments later, he appeared, took one look at the two women, and levitated the Professor to the Hospital Wing, Hermione tearfully in tow.

She wobbled, and Draco put an arm around her shoulders. She sobbed silently, tears pouring down her face as Professor Trelawney would writhe occasionally.

* * *

Hermione slept badly that night. She dreamt she was in the library, reading a colossal book. Then all of a sudden a snake came and cooed in her ear. Then the snake turned into Draco, and the book vanished. She was outraged. Now she won't have any reference! She blamed it on Draco, and he just smiled wickedly.

The dream changed.

She was walking on a dark, narrow lane. Her mind kept screaming 'No!' as her feet dragged her whole body another step forward. She was unconsciously walking, staring into nothingness. Her body felt controlled by another mind, and she would jump at perfectly normal times.

A curtain was opened, and a spotlight beamed on her face.

She was wearing pink and black pants, boots, and top. She had black hair that was tied into pigtails, some loose strands hiding a part of her right eye. Her hair was highlighted pink at some parts. Her sleeves were hooked by thin threads that brought her arms painfully skyward. Soft music began to play, and another rustle could be heard at the other end of the platform.

Seconds later, Draco the pale marionette appeared.

He was wearing the same clothes as Hermione was, but the pink parts were colored black. His hair was also black, and only some parts were streaked white. He had a calm, cold, and indifferent expression on his face, but when the strings made him look at Hermione, he lost it.

"Hermione, what are…?" he shouted before the mysterious puppeteer dragged both of them dangerously close before pulling them apart again.

There was an evil cackle from above, but somehow, even as they willed their minds to look up, they kept their eyes on each other, purposely ignoring the invisible crowd. They twirled, jumped into each other's arms, and posed chest-to-chest. The puppeteer looked down expectantly, though his face was still shadowed because of the spotlight. The two marionettes were about to make their lips meet when they were pulled roughly away from each other. They screamed the other's name, having a nagging hunch they would never see each other again.

Once Hermione, the pink marionette, glimpsed the last of Draco's streaked hair, she broke down onto the floor and cracked into a million splinters.

* * *

Hermione screamed. She didn't care if she was waking up the other two Gryffindors. Right now, she was out of her wits.

Her tears started to fall when Harry bounded in, mounted on his Firebolt. He discarded it right away and clutched her firmly as she rocked and cried on his chest. Ginny came in moments later, and she, for once was speechless.

"Gin, smuggle in Draco from the Slytherin dorms. Fetch my Invisibility Cloak…" Hermione heard Harry order amidst her sobs, and Ginny's feet pounded on the floor. After a few minutes, the steady creak of the portrait hole opening was heard. She just cried there while Harry soothed her back and calmly spoke words of reassurance into her hair.

After a quarter of an hour, she was still crying, but her sobs were dry. Harry was now cursing what in the world Ginny was doing.

"We're… here!" Ginny panted from below.

"Get up here!" Harry shouted at the floor. Hermione heard a whoosh and Ginny arrived with a damp back, Draco shaking on his own Nimbus Two Thousand and One. He and Hermione took one look at each other and literally jumped on one another's chest, crying again.

"Sorry we took so long," Ginny muttered to Harry, "According to Blaise, Draco was bawling and muttering, 'Hermione', 'marionette', puppeteer', and 'splinters'."

"Strange… Hermione was saying that, too, except for her name, she said 'Draco'," Harry replied, eyeing the two interestingly.

* * *

"I hate wizard chess."

"That's because you always lose!"

Draco grumbled, crossing his arms childishly. Ginny was dancing around, beating Draco three times in a row. Hermione soothed her boyfriend, saying she didn't win in wizard chess, either, and Draco smiled at that. Harry was looking out the window, breathing deeply so that he misted the glass. Blaise Zabini, having been invited to the Common Room by Ginny, was yawning and lounging on his chair.

"Man, it really is better here up top," Draco said, sitting beside Hermione, "We were freezing down there."

"Hello, everyone," said a dreamy voice. Blaise's eyes widened and he turned his head so fast he cricked his neck.

"Oh, good, Luna finally arrived," Ginny remarked, smirking knowingly at the back of Blaise's head.

"Yes, I've been very busy today," she replied, sitting on the floor and caressing an overexcited Crookshanks, "And my father just told me that Ronald is crying in his room."

They laughed, and she even emitted a giggle when she found Blaise winking at her.

* * *

The afternoon passed by with a furious snowball fight with the girls against the boys. Of course, they were evenly matched, and after an hour they finally trudged up the steps, with Draco and Blaise having half a mind to take off their soaked shirts.

"Hey, Harry, be careful!" Ginny shrieked as Harry stepped onto a piece of thread.

"Hey, these are cute!" Luna mused, taking the two wooden forms. "They are, aren't they?"

"Get them away from us, Luna," Hermione and Draco said, eyeing the marionettes warily. They were wearing what _they _were wearing in their dreams. Sure, they were wooden, but all was covered with cotton as stuffing, like a doll.

"Hey, there's a needle!" Blaise said, picking it up.

"And the pink one needs a stitch!" Ginny remarked, threading the needle and plucking the end of it on the marionette's sleeve carefully.

The effect was instantaneous.

Hermione's skin bled, and a wound was shaping into a stitch on her upper arm. She screamed and Ginny stopped immediately. The wound was still there, bleeding, and, for once, Hermione didn't want it to heal magically. The wound was deep, she could feel it.

She wrapped her arm cautiously with her scarf. Luna held the marionettes at arm's length with her forefinger and thumb. "So these are cursed dolls?" she asked, disgusted.

"They're called voodoo marionettes," Harry said, eyeing all of them darkly.

* * *

**A/N: **Hehe. I had a lot of fun writing the next chapter. And it isn't even finished yet, imagine that. :))

Sorry, guys, if I hadn't been updating or typing today even though we have no classes for 4 days. It's just because I got hooked on watching

'A Very Potter Musical' last night and I am currently trying to not fall in love with Draco Malfoy's character. I mean, Laura is really BRILLIANT!

Review please. :D


	12. Plate of Onions

"There's a note," Harry continued, pointing at the card lying on the floor. Everyone else looked.

How could've they missed that?

Blaise picked it up and read aloud:

"_Dear Mudbloods, Blood Traitors, Half-bloods, + Drakie_

_ Merry Christmas! Wait, I know this'll come early from my house, so, yeah. I sent a needle, just in case that good-for-nothing messenger rips the cloth. Love from __PP."_

"Pansy," Blaise stated disgustingly after the letter.

"How do you know?" Ginny asked.

"It's easy," he replied, putting up his hand and ticking off reasons, "First, she called Draco 'Drakie'. Second, she's got the initials of 'PP'. Third, she's the only Slytherin who's got enough nerve to say 'Mudblood' these days. And lastly, she forgot me."

"What?" They asked.

"I mean, she always leaves me out in addressing the group, letters, parties, letters, presents, and letters – did I already mention letters?"

"Blaise is drugged," Ginny mused, and they all laughed as Blaise scowled.

"I do NOT rely on those Muggle things they call 'drugs'. Sure, drugs are illegal, but the country doesn't shut down drugstores, now, do they?"

"Yep, definitely drugged," Draco muttered as Blaise continued to rant.

"Absolutely addicted," Harry replied, shaking his head.

"He's overdosed on something, I see," Luna said, her eyes growing wider with understanding.

"What are you guys whispering about?" Blaise suddenly asked, and they jumped to face him, smiling innocently. He shouted about 'stabbing in the back' and all of them laughed.

Luna, who was clutching her stomach, pocketed the marionettes for inspection later.

* * *

All six of them were at the Great Hall on Christmas Eve. They requested a separate table from the teachers, and they were happy to oblige, because now they have some privacy to themselves.

Everyone was laughing, drinking, munching, talking, squealing, and glancing. Hermione, who was tired getting interrogated, put her head on the table and pretended to be asleep. Draco, who thought Hermione was really asleep, soothed her curls and made her jump.

"Draco, I was trying to fall asleep," Hermione whined playfully. Blaise caught on.

"Oh! Oh! I know that!" Blaise said proudly, "I can't believe I know a Muggle saying…"

He stood up, took his wand out and, later, presented cheese and champagne on a tray he set on the table. All the rest stared. Minutes passed, and Blaise's smile sagged a bit.

"You don't get it, do you?" Harry finally said. Then he laughed. "Blaise, it's – "

"- _Wine _with cheese!" They said aloud, and they all laughed as Blaise took the bottle, read the word 'champagne' and blushed.

* * *

"Yes! Yes! It's Boxing Day!"

"Ginny, stop acting so childish and get down from your bed!"

Ginny stopped jumping, crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue. "Killjoy!" she shrieked.

"Oh, now, you asked for it," Hermione said, her eyes glinting maliciously. They started the chasing around the tower again, this time both of them laughing. They stopped at the top of the tower, where Ginny surrendered.

"Man, that felt good," Hermione said, panting against the wall.

* * *

"Harry, wake up!"

"What?" he said groggily. He looked around and all five of his friends were there.

"You've slept past noon," Luna said serenely.

"And we have to remind you to lay off on the firewhiskey," Hermione continued sternly, and Harry felt himself shrink as he smiled sheepishly.

"I didn't know I drank firewhiskey last night…" he muttered. He sat up on his four-poster and rubbed his eyes with his fists. After that he plopped back down on his pillows again.

"Damn headache," he muttered, closing his eyes and kneading his forehead.

"Have some drugs," Blaise suggested. Draco laughed.

"It's not drugs, Blaise; they're painkillers," Hermione said patiently, handing them to Harry with a glass of water. He gulped them at once.

"Now," he said, rubbing his palms excitedly, "Let's go open the presents!"

Everybody jumped and ran down the stairs, laughing at their childish behavior. They were seventeen or eighteen years of age, and they still get excited about things wrapped with festive paper and silky ribbons.

"Cool, Hermione!" Harry said, donning on his brand new polo shirt which changes color every hour. Hermione smiled.

"Ooh, thanks, Hermione!" Ginny and Luna squealed. They both got identical cream-colored dresses from the Muggle world that was all the rage in London today.

Draco cursed fluently. "Hermione, it's broken!" he whined.

"It can't be," she replied, taking the bottle of cologne he got from her. "Look, you just pull the cap away, and spray." She said.

"Oh!" Draco exclaimed, inhaling the musky scent from the little bottle. "I love that cologne…"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Harry retorted playfully, his new polo shirt, which was a Slytherin green, already pulled on. He tried to reach for the bottle, but Draco was still too tall. He stuck out his tongue and scowled as Harry kicked him in the shin. They started chasing again, coming in and out of different doors, sometimes crossing paths but not realizing.

"Hey, Blaise, how's the book going?" Hermione asked at the serious form hunched over his new book.

"It's great, thanks, Hermione," he said, marking the page with a dog ear. "I've been longing for this new book whenever I see a Wizarding bookstore without it."

"Hermione…" Draco said, panting, from the door. Harry was yelling for Draco to come up. "Hermione – can you… can you go with me for a second?"

"Sure, Draco," she answered, puzzled. They went to the boys' dormitories, with Draco twisting his hands nervously. Hermione looked at him quizzically.

"Err… Merry – Merry Christmas," he said suddenly, holding out two packages – one was a rectangular shape, and the other was smaller and box-shaped.

"Oh, Draco, you didn't have to get me anything – "Hermione began, but Draco cut her off.

"I want to, Hermione; I really do."

Hermione looked at the sincerity in his eyes, and nodded reluctantly. She took the box-shaped gift first, held her breath, unfurled the green ribbon, and took off the red-and-silver paper. She opened it and gasped.

"Oh… Draco, this must've cost you a fortune…" she said, eyeing the ring inside. It was beautiful; there was no other word for it. It had a heart-shaped diamond in the center, and surrounding it were smaller studded diamonds. All of them glittered when a ray of light went through the window.

"Only the best for you," he said. She giggled. My god, where did he get those lines from?

"Here," he continued, taking the ring from her. He slid it into her fourth finger. Hermione's eyes shone with tears.

"Oh, shit," Draco said, realizing Hermione was teary-eyed, "Why? What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing, Draco," she replied, "It's because this is perfect…"

Hermione stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips gently, one hand caressing his chin. His arms circled her waist, and all the sounds, all the light, all the things except their partners were gone. Sure, she was getting lost in the kiss, and who can blame her? Draco was in cloud 9, getting what he wanted for once, and not what his father did.

There was a crash from below and they jumped apart. They blushed, and hugged.

"This… This one is from my mother," Draco said, taking the rectangular gift from the bed and handing it to her, "I told her that we're… together."

Hermione opened the package hurriedly and squealed. It was a black music box with silver and green swirls at the side. She opened it, and music filled their ears. For Hermione, it was the most beautiful sonata she had ever heard, and she looked at the dancing figure at the middle in awe. She looked up at Draco and was surprised that he was blushing.

"What is it?" she asked.

"That's my composition," he answered sheepishly, "When I was first playing it, I thought my mother was just listening… I never thought she was recording it."

"Well, your cunning demeanor came from her, then."

Draco laughed. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Feet pounded on the stairs, and Harry appeared, his polo shirt half-way through changing from green to red, so now it was red-and-green striped.

"So this is where you were hiding!" he roared, and they chased each other around the tower again, but not before Draco kissed Hermione again and shouted "See you later!" over his shoulder.

* * *

"Ah, Ms. Granger, I see you're engaged!"

All of them, who were at the Great Hall for dinner after Draco and Harry chased each other's soul to the underworld and back, spat their pumpkin juice out at Professor Slughorn's words.

"What!" They, except for Luna, shouted at Hermione and Draco, who were grinning sheepishly.

"It's not an engagement ring," they both said at large, and they laughed.

"Then why is it on your fourth finger?" Ginny persisted.

"Well, how'd you react if I wear this ring on my thumb?" Hermione retorted sarcastically, and all of them laughed.

"Honestly, you guys, you sound like Parvati and Lavender!" she continued after the Potions walrus sidled back to the teacher's table. They all gasped. Even Harry and Blaise covered their mouths. Draco laughed himself stupid.

"Oh, God, you two; you look like gays!" he roared. All of them looked at Harry and Blaise and laughed, too.

* * *

Professor McGonagall inclined her head a little to the left just right enough to see the beautiful ring on Hermione's finger.

"Ah… youth at its best…" she muttered to herself, dabbing her wet eyes with a satin handkerchief.

"Minerva, are the onions too strong?" Slughorn boomed, taking the plate of onions under the professor's nose away.

"Since when was there a plate of onions served?" she asked the teachers.

"I remember someone ordering them when I went to look at my deserted House yesterday," Professor Sprout mused.

"Ah, yes," Professor Sinistra said, "do tell us what this person was wearing?"

"He or she was wearing a black cloak. I do not know the gender, specifically, because all I know is the person has black hair."

Silence greeted her words.

"You don't think…" McGonagall said slowly, "that this person… might be… Severus?"

"Severus?" Slughorn asked. "Well, yes, it is possible. But Potter said he was killed by You-Know-Who's snake. And why would he order a plate of onions?"

"Yes, that is rather odd…" Professor Vector of Arithmancy said.

They all sat in silence after McGonagall kindly ordered Winky the house elf to dispose of the onions.

"For an answer to your earlier question, Horace," she continued, "I was crying because… well… even though Miss Granger isn't _technically _engaged, I think that by the end of the school year, Mr. Malfoy will, as they say, 'pop the question' soon… Isn't that right, Sybill?" she asked kindly as she turned around in her chair to face Professor Trelawney, who was skulking in a corner.

"Ah – yes, yes, I have seen them married when I was gazing at the orb – err, just last night," she hastily said while slowly taking a seat beside the professor.

"But, there is certain danger behind their romantic adventure. Each person has one person that still loves them, and will do anything. One was Ronald Weasley, who kidnapped Hermione. The second is Miss Parkinson, who, Miss Lovegood tells me, sent those cursed marionettes which are in relation to the Muggle voodoo dolls yesterday."

"Voodoo Marionettes, you mean?" asked Professor Sinistra. The Divination teacher nodded gravely.

"I must say, we should protect these two – ah, lovebirds – from any harm," said a voice behind the headmistress. She turned around to face the newly painted portrait of the deceased headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

"Yes, Albus; but how?" McGonagall asked him. The portrait chuckled, winked, and sidled out of the portrait, leaving a murky brown backdrop behind.

* * *

**A/N: _a big THANK YOU! to Princess Patterson and LoonyMoony1396 for reviewing!_**

_**And also a big thank you for each person who added this story to their favorites, and have added it to their Story Alert list. :))**_

_**I just love you guys. xDD**_


	13. 13 really is unlucky

**A/N: As it's chapter 13, I'm twisting the story so that it'll be REALLY sad. Sorry, you guys, but I have to twist it somehow to become more interesting. Hope you'll still enjoy it. **

* * *

Draco had grown close with everyone in the group when term began. He was always joyful whenever he was with them. Ron came back a few days before term started. He took one look around the company, made a livid expression, cursed fluently, and locked himself in the boys' dormitories for an hour. Draco went inside to ask what was wrong. A half hour later, he came back, his expression snarling, his face and clothes splattered with purple pudding.

Ron was as touchy as a Blast-Ended Skrewt in the past few days. He snarled at everyone. He ravaged his food every mealtime. He even answered Professor McGonagall in the middle of explaining their new Transfiguration essay and skipped his classes the next day, leaving the smoking remains of his Howler in the Gryffindor Table.

On one cold night, Hermione was writing an essay for Professor Binns about violations of the rights of goblins committed during the war. She checked out an enormous book from the library, dragged it into the common room and began scratching at once.

"Hermione, sleep early tonight, we have a hectic day tomorrow," Ginny said, sitting beside her and eyeing her essay warily. Hermione was filling up a whole roll of parchment with one paragraph that was just the starter.

"Why, Gin, what day is tomorrow?" she asked hurriedly, checking her notes about important dates.

"It's the first Hogsmeade weekend!" Ginny replied. "And about time, too; I thought they cancelled Hogsmeade trips altogether…"

Hermione made a sound of understanding, smacked her forehead, and laughed. Really, was she this into homework that she forgot about trips to the neighboring Wizarding village? She always pictured Hogsmeade like the quaint, blanketed-with-snow villages you see in those Muggle Christmas balls. The last time she was there, however, she didn't get to sightsee because, at that time, they thought they were trapped.

"Sure, Gin, but who's going to join us?" she asked, putting down her quill and stretching her stiff and aching shoulders.

"Blaise, Luna, Harry, Draco, me, and you… I think Ron won't, though, but he said he was going to Hogsmeade."

"Thanks, Gin. Now, could you read me that part there?"

Ginny dictated the paragraph to Hermione as she wrote it down hurriedly, splattering ink on her nose.

"Oh my God, you look just like Percy!" Ginny said, looking at Hermione's appearance. She blushed, took a handkerchief, and rubbed her nose raw and ink-free.

* * *

The next day was a blast. They spent all morning and afternoon at the village, visiting Honeydukes, the Shrieking Shack, Hog's Head, and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, a branch of the famous joke shop in Diagon alley run by the Weasley twins. When they went in, the Slytherins were in awe. They were warmly greeted by the manager there, Lee Jordan, who is also the Weasley twins' friend.

After their bags were full of joke shop merchandise, they went to the Three Broomsticks to drink the afternoon away. They picked a rather roomy table at the side and they seated themselves with the girls facing their corresponding partners. After they ordered their food, Harry ordered six butterbeers, all on him. And so they drank, talked, and laughed as the afternoon passed by.

They were still smiling when they met the cold wind outside of the bar, closing the door and quickly stifling a man's rowdy laugh. They trudged up the lane to Hogwarts, recounting the hilarious times they had, like when Blaise ordered a big bottle of butterbeer and a glass. He was a little tipsy and he put just a little amount of butterbeer on the glass before downing the whole bottle.

Hermione looked back at the village. She was going to miss this freedom. Her eyes roved from store to store, and they stopped, as well as her feet, when they arrived at the Three Broomsticks. Ron was standing there, his hands deep in his pockets, his hair flecked with snow, his scarf loosely hanged, and smiling at them… the same deranged smile he wore at that tent that night.

That never boded any good.

* * *

At breakfast at the Great Hall the next day, heads turned and whispers intensified as Hermione walked in. Puzzled, she went to her usual spot in the Gryffindor Table beside Ginny and Harry. There was something off about them.

Ginny, who first sighted Hermione, nudged Harry by the shoulder and grinned guiltily at her brunette friend. Harry gulped his pumpkin juice nervously and hid something in his bag, looking at Hermione like a child who had been caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.

Okay, something is definitely not right.

"Harry, what's that in your bag?" she said sternly, reaching for the paper clumsily packed inside his bag. He quickly took it.

"N-nothing, Hermione," he said, trying to act innocent. The bag slid to the floor and Hermione saw the title '_Daily Prophet'. _

"Do not act innocent, Harry. _Accio Daily Prophet!" _she said, flashing her wand in the direction of the paper, so it came zooming out of the bag and into Hermione's hand.

She was greeted by the headlines blaring '_Granger epidemic strikes yet again!' _and below it was a picture of her with Harry and Ron after the war. She looked at the byline right underneath of the headline and groaned.

So it was another Skeeter article…

She began to read, sitting on the bench carefully as her friends treated her like a bomb about to explode.

_Rita Skeeter was invited exclusively to an interview to a certain Ronald Weasley, one of the heroes in the famous war of Hogwarts, yesterday at the Three Broomsticks. At first, the reporter thought that it was about the goings-on after the war, but it was actually a complaint of the brains of the Golden Trio._

_Now everyone knows about the romantic relationship that Ronald has with a certain Miss Hermione Granger. They were seen kissing passionately at the middle of the war at Hogwarts, no doubt about that. Though the trail goes cold when summer came._

"_I don't know what I would do if she ever left me," Ron had said, teary-eyed, "She was my life and soul. But then… summer came… and she decided to end the seemingly smooth relationship. It was like my world ended."_

_So why did Miss Granger break their smooth relationship? Well, let us take a look at her background, shall we?_

_Miss Granger was exposed in her fourth year to be not so goody-two-shoes as everyone thought she was. She was pretty, ecstatic, funny, and the brightest witch of her age. Of course every boy would fall for her. Being the cleverest witch in the school at that time, she took it as an advantage to play with two famous boys: Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, against Viktor Krum, the hero of the Quidditch World Cup three or four years ago._

"_I just accepted it, you know…" continues Ron, who was getting angrier, "but then, HE CAME."_

_Who would've thought that Miss Granger would have another victim: the ever-famous Slytherin heartthrob, Draco Malfoy?_

_Yes, they were seen together, even Hogwarts students of all ages approve of their relationship. But Miss Granger has another dark secret hidden up her sleeve._

"_She's a two-timer," Ronald spat, "she really isn't in love with Malfoy. She has this other boyfriend: a Muggle. She mentioned it to me; she said Raymond was a childhood friend from France that decided to move to England after being a pen pal. But I saw them together one day, holding hands. That scene made me sick."_

_Even though most of the people in the Wizarding World is still convinced that the youngest Malfoy was in Death Eater Activity even if the jury said he was innocent, they sympathized with him for falling into yet another trick of the heartless witch of Hogwarts. The question of many is: when will the Ice Queen's reign end?_

* * *

Hermione was still fuming after she stormed out of the Great Hall amidst the snide remarks from Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Really, when will Rita Skeeter get rid of that beetle-grudge?

She stepped outside and cried in frustration as she reached her favorite spot: the lake. She pounded the beech tree so hard bowtruckles packed their bags immediately, thinking there was an earthquake.

"So… it's true, then?" a voice said, and Hermione looked up.

"Draco – "she said, but the other silenced her with his hand.

"I don't need your apologies," he stated coldly, hurt and anger swirling in his eyes, "_Why, Hermione?" _

He was pleading to her. Shit. She looked at him disbelievingly. She could read anger from every line of his face, but his eyes showed he was broken-hearted.

"It's not true!" she shouted, "I don't even _know _a boy named Raymond! I don't even have a pen pal! How could I, when my mother forbids me to even go out of our hotel room alone? How could I, when I don't even have an _owl?_ Think, Draco! You know how Skeeter stirs these things!"

"Draco!" shrieked a girly voice from afar. They turned and saw Astoria Greengrass, waving at them.

"Come on, Draco, let's go plan our wedding, or you'll be affected with the _epidemic,_" she stated the last word disgustingly, weighing every syllable down and making them pierce Hermione's head painfully.

"You go!" Draco roared at the girl. She whimpered, stuck out her tongue at Hermione, and ran to the castle.

"So… you're engaged…" Hermione stated numbly, letting the words 'wedding' swirl around her head. It was no question. Draco was quiet. He neither confirmed nor denied it. It was the dead truth.

Light rain started to fall, but their eyes were still open and taking only each other. They were numb, they admit it. They were in disbelief, they admit it. They were broken-hearted… that was an understatement.

"You said your mother would approve…" Hermione said at last, her voice breaking. Draco winced.

"She did. After reading the article, she said you were a good-for-nothing, after all, and she agreed immediately on Astoria's betrothal to me she was declining for who knows how long," he replied, trying to be cold and indifferent. "It's best to go our separate ways…"

Hermione threw her shoulders back and stated calmly, "Funny… that was what I'm just about to say."

They stared for a moment. Silence... The rain pounded harder on their heads, raindrops falling from their hair, their clothes, their chins, their eyelashes…

Draco made a rude hand gesture in anger just as Hermione threw something. It bounced on a rock and fitted itself on his third finger.

Draco looked at it, stunned. It was the ring he had given her on Christmas. There was a big crack at the middle running from top to bottom, breaking the perfect heart-shaped diamond. Hermione's back was now turned and she was willing herself to run, but can't.

"Hermione – "he stated angrily, but Hermione cut him off.

"MALFOY, STOP THIS CRAP AND LEAVE. ME. ALONE!"

Silence again. Her words stung. Her back was turned, so of course she wouldn't see Draco breaking inside. He dropped his shoulders sadly, but he recovered fairly quickly.

"So… it's back to the old days, huh? Granger?" he said faintly over the roar of the hard rain, though Hermione could hear it clearly.

She sighed, turned around, and smiled sadly. "I think, Malfoy, that we didn't leave the old days… after all."

She waved faintly, and Draco saw the first tear to fall off her left eye before she turned and ran, the rain enveloping her figure until she was nowhere in sight.

* * *

**A/N: Oh my God, I'm SUPER SORRY! :((**

**I was just thinking of the next chapter and, well, it came to me when I was taking a shower. Ideas always come to me when I'm taking a shower, like when Blaise introduced 'champagne and cheese'. **

**I promise you that, at the end, it's going to be much, much happier. :))**

**Reviewww! :DD oh, and I hope that article isn't too much. I haven't been writing articles lately. hehe. *scratches head***


	14. Diary Entries

**A/N: Gonna upload it tonight so I can sleep better later. :DD**

**Enjoy! :))**

_**

* * *

January 13**_

_Dear Diary,_

_ Draco and I broke up. I cried all night. Harry and Ginny were there for me. Ginny let me cry on her shoulder. Harry was nowhere to be seen tonight. I don't know why. He stormed off after taking me in – crying, soaked, trembling. When he returned, it was well past midnight, though my tears were still flowing continuously. He had a smirk on his face, one that reminded me of Draco, and I cried harder. Ginny scolded Harry. If the situation wasn't as dark as it already is, I would've found that funny. But this time… I think I don't know how to laugh… and I'm not going to learn how anytime soon._

_**January 15**_

_Dear Diary,_

_ People are so mean. Sometimes they trip me, whether with a jinx or their feet, their bags, their arms… They don't do it in front of teachers, though, and that was a relief. I stuck with them all the time, but the rumors got worse. They said I was a stuck-up know-it-all after all, and now they're accusing me of being a teacher's pet so that I have high grades at every subject. _

_ Sometimes, I don't want to be a witch anymore. Sometimes, I don't want to show them my Gryffindor courage and break down right there and then. I can't handle this. If only I had Harry's confidence. For God's sake, his word was against the Ministry Of Magic's! And here I am, longing for death to come so that it will end the glares that keep hitting me like sunlight on a desert._

_**January 23**_

_Dear Diary,_

_I'm not writing much, lately. I'm making myself immersed in books. As in my first year before I befriended Harry and Ron, I make my third home at the library, the second being the Gryffindor common room. Sometimes, I help Madam Pince with checking the books out for first years, as they don't know much about the Daily Prophet article, though some have ideas. One even called me names so shrilly, even though it was a boy. _

_Often, I fall asleep with my head in a book. Madam Pince would drape a blanket over me and prod me awake when she was closing the library. Sometimes it was past curfew, so she let me stay in the Hospital Wing. _

_ These past few days, Draco and me avoided each other. That was fairly easy because we've been doing it for the past 7 years. What wasn't easy, though, was looking into each other's eyes and find hurt, anger, sadness, and accusation there. I don't raise my hand in a class where he's in, and when I'm called to answer, I do it… faintly. Whenever I would sit down, and the teacher's back was facing us, the whole class would imitate what I do in first year, jumping up and down on desks and making bucktooth faces. _

_Now I'm imagining… What if we didn't win the war? What if I was murdered in Malfoy Manor? Back then, it would be ridiculous. But right now, death would be preferable in that situation so I won't be in this mess today._

_**February 9**_

_Dear Diary,_

_ Things are going from bad… to worse… to worst… to horrifying… to devastating… by the second._

_It's going to be Valentine's Day in five days' time. I researched on something from Asia and I remembered the Japanese's tradition on this holiday. Instead of the boys giving chocolates, it's vice versa. The girl gives the chocolate to the boy, and exactly after one month, which they call 'White Day', the boy will return the favor in thanks. _

_ I'm thinking of doing that to Harry, he's always there for me. Even though what I'm going to do excludes the White Day thing, it's still worth it. I'm thinking that Neville deserves one, too, and so does Blaise. They're still with me. Ron walked out of our group and lives forever and he makes himself live by going out with Lavender. Draco… well… things are still rocky between us. Sure, he isn't making snide remarks or sneering at us when we pass by. He's just… blank… unnervingly so._

_ I'm thinking of giving one to Draco, too, but I don't think the others will approve. Word got out that he was engaged to Astoria. Rita's quill wrote again and made me a joke in that article named '_GREENGRASS AND MALFOY IS TYING THE KNOT! GRANGER DANGER IS TAKING A HARD BLOW!' _He was engaged. He was in the side where most of the people were. A simple chocolate won't make the scales be even. Their side would be down, and my side would be up in the sky. I just wish my life isn't so complicated._

_

* * *

_

Draco dropped the little black notebook. Ginny was smirking at him sadly, and picked Hermione's diary form the floor.

"I told you she was in pain," she stated bluntly. Draco gaped. "Specialists say that when the first tear fell from the right eye, it's from joy. But when it's from the left, it boded pain. Didn't you know that?"

Draco closed his open mouth and sighed. He sat on one of the chairs in the deserted classroom they found. He was stupid of admitting it, but he regretted everything he said to her that morning. He hated everything he accused of her. He loathed himself when he inflicted pain on her.

She didn't do anything to deserve this. She didn't do anything NEAR to Skeeter's article. Others wouldn't listen. They hunted down every Raymond in London. They even went to Hermione's parents, whose memories were charmed back, and asked if their daughter ever met someone in France. They denied.

Even though that denial was a big blow on their cause, they still accused Hermione. They told themselves that Hermione _had _met Raymond, and she was a slut not to tell her own parents. They interrogated everyone Hermione ever met and they denied it, too. They accused Hermione of that, too.

He cried in frustration as he pulled his hair. Damn! Just when things were going great between them, it falls apart… dramatically. It feels like he lied to her, taking the side of the one that's wrong against the one who was innocent. He left her for an accusation that was never proven true. He deserted her and made her a standing joke in an article. And for Merlin's sake, he was about to marry someone he didn't love and he had to bear with the loss of Hermione in his life…

…just because of a stupid article.

He fished something out of his pocket and held it in his hand gently. It was the ring. The heart was still there, but the crack grew. It was about to reach the end on the heart.

"_Reparo," _Ginny muttered her wand in the direction of the ring. The crack grew smaller and smaller until the ring was as good as new.

"I think you need that on White Day," she continued, her hazel eyes glinting like whenever she was planning.

"What are you thinking?" he asked hesitantly, and the redhead looked at him like it was the most flattering question that he asked her.

* * *

**_A/N: _**_Short, I know. And I kind of hated myself for cutting it. But I decided that the next lines were in a completely different topic, so I made it chapter 15. :) _

_Don't worry, I MIGHT finish that one. In the meantime, please review. I'm getting excited looking at my story Stats. hehehe. xDD_

_And also, I hope that Valentine tradition thing is correct. My memory is faulty, like every other day. So if it's wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me. I don't want my readers getting a wrong concept from me. :)_


	15. Music To Our Ears

**A/N: **_another chapter. haha. I don't care about what SOMEONE thinks; I want to update, even though the reviews are few. I want to make chapters, because I don't want to make my assignments yet. shh. :P_

_

* * *

_

"Give me back my diary, Ginny…"

"Where's the life in your statement, Hermione?" Ginny complained.

"It's in the graveyard. Dig it up if you want to, I don't need it." She said, dragging her voice. She slammed the book she was holding and sighed. She was finally done of all the essays that have been assigned.

"Haha, very funny, Hermione. And there's a tombstone reading 'Hermione's life' written on it," Ginny said sarcastically. Hermione shrugged.

"I think you should do it," she continued. Hermione sighed again.

"I don't know how to make chocolate, Ginny; you know how bad a cook I am. I have the fastest record in the world of making the kitchen look like a battlefield with egg bombshells and ketchup-and-mustard missiles."

Ginny snorted, trying not to laugh at the last part. "Let Kreacher do it."

"I don't want to. What's the point in this, Gin? He's ENGAGED! The world will get crazy again when they see the Ice Queen giving chocolate to her most recent victim!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, HERMIONE!" she yelled at the top of her voice, finally snapping. Good thing the other Gryffindor girls aren't in their dormitories, "THE ONE I KNOW DIDN'T GIVE UP! THE ONE I DIDN'T KNOW BORE WITH THIS BEFORE! THE ONE I KNOW NEVER COMPLAINED! THE ONE I KNOW NEVER LET PEOPLE WALK OVER HER! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!"

That silenced her. Hermione thought about her words, looking thoughtfully at her best friend panting.

"I…" she muttered after a few minutes, "I'm Hermione Granger, the brains of the Golden Trio. I'm Hermione Granger, never was and never will be the Ice Queen. I'm Hermione Granger, who won't sleep and eat until I get back my Draco!"

"That's the spirit! Wait, what!" she added to her best friend, who was pacing back and forth. Hermione laughed heartily, and it was like music filled both of their ears.

* * *

"So… why are you asking help from me again?"

"You're the only Slytherin except for Draco that knows about the plan!"

"Then why can't he do it?"

Ginny cried in frustration, and that made Blaise shrink a little. "He can't, because he's going to get ready for White Day! Encourage Hermione to do that chocolate-thingy! Say that you have a Japanese cousin and that you would like to try bringing the Japanese tradition to Hogwarts!"

Blaise stared. "How do you know about Amaya?"

"Who the hell is Amaya?"

"My Japanese cousin."

Ginny gaped. "Seriously, I was just joking! I never knew you had a Japanese cousin!"

"Well, now you do, and I would appreciate it so much if you don't let that out. My grandmother's going to kill me."

"Chill, Blaise, your secret is safe with me," Ginny said, giggling, "Now, as I was saying, you encourage Hermione to make chocolates. Help her if you have to, but DON'T MAKE HER FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU. Heaven forbid what I'd do if you were to ruin this plan…"

"Relax, I'm not _that _much of a party-pooper," he answered, chuckling, "You know, you think of every possible outcome of things."

"That's what you call pessimistic. Yeah, yeah, I've heard those words before…"

"What! No, it's not being pessimistic, it's being realistic," he countered. Ginny felt a gush of gratitude towards Blaise, feeling he was the perfect brother to her that Ron never was.

* * *

Hermione was in her library duties again. No one wanted to go there because of her, but Madam Pince insisted that she stay.

"But that would mean that students would forget the library was even here!" She whined. The aged witch clicked her tongue impatiently.

"Then it's their loss, Hermione," she replied indifferently, "They would notice that their grades would come crashing down. It's their fault, their loss, your gain."

Hermione nodded, being speechless. She stamped out books that have been overdue and checked on the list of books that have not been returned yet.

"Err, good evening," a voice said. Hermione turned around, frightened. That voice sounded vaguely familiar, but it was a rather mature voice.

"Hold on," Madam Pince whispered. She went to greet the student and fetched the books he ordered. After a few minutes of hurried words, Madam Pince laughed at something the person said and she went back to Hermione, smiling fondly.

"Who was it?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"It was that charming boy, Draco Malfoy," Madam Pince replied, taking down books that have been in the wrong section. "He was looking up on books about Muggle cuisine."

"He was looking for Muggle recipe books?" she asked, stunned.

"Yes, and he preferred one that told him explicitly how to make desserts. The things teenagers do, eh? You think they're so tough, and then they cook in secret!"

Hermione laughed, but only uncertainly. "Yeah, that would be odd."

* * *

"Here, Blaise," Draco said, handing him the recipe book at the Slytherin common room, beaming.

"Let me guess," Blaise said slyly, "Hermione was there and you inhaled her cologne."

"Damn, Blaise, what kind of Seer are you?"

"The kind that isn't related to Trelawney."

Draco laughed. "I can smell it from the other side of the bookshelf. Madam Pince asked me what the hell I was doing with Muggle recipe books. I told her to stay quiet about all of my supposed 'craving for cooking'."

Blaise shook his head in amusement. "Man, she and Filch are perfect."

"Hey, we are, too!" Astoria cut across Blaise, clinging onto Draco's arm painfully.

"Get off, Greengrass," Pansy warned, drawing out her wand.

"What? I can't cuddle with my fiancé?"

"He doesn't even want to be related to you in any way. Isn't that right, Draco?" she asked. He fervently nodded. Astoria huffed.

"Wait until your mom hears about this," she said, smirking as though she won.

"Oh, don't worry," Draco said slowly, making her shrink, "she already knows I'm in love with a Muggleborn."

Astoria gasped. Blaise and Pansy smirked. "Threats aren't so much of a use right now, slut." Pansy said.

"How dare you!" Astoria shrieked. Pansy shrugged.

"I'm a 'Truth or Dare' specialist. Everyone who has been struck by my bottle has gone off with a dare. Believe me, this was plain easy." She said.

Astoria snarled, and she was held back by her friend. "Back off, Astoria," she muttered into her ear.

"THE ENGAGEMENT'S OFF!" she roared to Draco's face as she went to the Slytherin dorms.

"MUSIC TO OUR EARS!" the trio bellowed back at her and they laughed at her expression.

"Ah, man," Blaise said to himself, wiping a tear off of his eye.

"So… why're you defending me and Hermione again?" Draco asked Pansy.

"Even though I know you just used me to make Hermione jealous, I think you're cute."

"But… you sent them those voodoo marionettes before Boxing Day!" Blaise retorted.

"…I did?" she said, inclining her head. "No, I didn't, Blaise. You received my letter and my gift on Boxing Day, remember? So why would I send those earlier?"

Draco looked into Pansy's eyes sternly. She stared right back, sincerity in her eyes.

"She's telling the truth." He stated bluntly.

"And how did Blaise's mind get to me when it comes to such a wimpy scheme?"

Blaise scowled as Draco gave her the card. Pansy threw it from her when she finished reading.

"Who the hell would impersonate ME!" Pansy shouted.

"I thought, of all the people, you'd be happy." Draco joked.

"Of course I would be, but with such a wimpy scheme, such a stupid reason, I am ASHAMED that these plans were labeled under my name." she retorted.

"So… it must be Astoria!" Blaise said in mock celebration.

"Yeah, it must be," Pansy said seriously, "I remember seeing her parents at Platform nine-and-three-quarters leaving without her. She must've stayed here for Christmas!"

"That can't be; we were the only ones here!" Draco retorted.

"Astoria likes onions, right?" Pansy stated.

"Right…" the two boys said slowly.

"And she has black hair…"

"Of course…"

"It' simple! Didn't you hear? On the evening of Boxing Day, the teachers had a plate of onions delivered to their table! And Professor Sprout said she saw someone coming out from the kitchens the day before that with black hair! Astoria was here!"

They gaped.

"Who knew that your ears would come in handy in gossiping?" Blaise said, thumping her back.

"I try my best." She said proudly. "Now, then, Blaise, you start cooking these Muggle chocolate for Hermione or else you'll be mangled by Ginny."

* * *

**A/N: **I know its kinda like 'huh?' xDD

Wheee~ I'm just messing around... we, no I'm not, but I was tired last night and I wasn't thinking straight. :))


	16. Valentine's Day Commotion

**A/N: **Another chapter up! heheh. xDD

* * *

Hermione, wake up! It's Valentine's day!"

Hermione's eyes flew open, her arms flailed and she fell off her bed.

"Ginny, don't scream like that!" she shouted, spitting her hair out of her mouth. What a perfect way to start the day.

Hermione got up, showered and dressed quickly, not wanting to be late. She took the heart-shaped sweet from her trunk and dashed down the staircase.

"Wow, Hermione, that must've been – what, fifteen minutes?" Harry said as Hermione panted to catch her breath.

"Come on; now let's go through the plan again…" Ginny ushered. Hermione groaned but obliged.

* * *

Hermione snuck in the Great Hall alone. No one was awake for classes yet. It looked haunted.

She crept to the Slytherin Table and placed the chocolate carefully, with the card 'To Draco' on top of it. She looked at it fondly, sighed, and went back to the entrance, where Ginny and Harry were waiting.

"Did it go okay?" Ginny asked rather nervously. Hermione nodded stiffly. Harry sighed.

"Good. Now let's go in there, I'm starving," he said loudly as the students came in.

* * *

Hermione couldn't think straight through breakfast. The Ravenclaws were being as mean as ever, saying that she deserves to be alone for the rest of her life. The Gryffindors were sympathizing with Hermione, though they never said it out loud. The Hufflepuffs were still on the Ravenclaws' side, but they don't have the guts to say anything. The Slytherins, for once, were quiet in this whole thing, choosing silence against facing the wrath of Pansy.

Draco came in, looking tired but happy. Blaise waved him over and told him about a gift for him. Puzzled, he took the chocolate and tried to pry it open when a shrill voice said, "STOP!"

Everyone, even the teachers, went quiet. Astoria entered the Great Hall, glaring at the chocolate in Draco's hands.

"Give it to me!" she screamed. Draco held it as high up as he can to stop Astoria from getting it.

"Watch it, Greengrass. The note says it's for me, so back off," he snarled.

Astoria jumped and stepped on his feet. He only winced. The four houses were converging on them, and the teachers were surrounding them.

"You don't understand! I saw Granger put it on the table!" she cried in a desperate manner.

All heads turned towards Hermione, whose eyes were wide, and she was taken to the front row. Draco looked at her disbelievingly, or everyone thought he was.

"Oh, really, Greengrass?" said a sly voice. Moments later, Pansy appeared, tapping her wand on her palm menacingly. "And this comes from a girl who made cookies from talcum powder, thinking it was flour…"

Astoria blushed in embarrassment as the crowd snickered. "I didn't have my contacts then!"

"Then maybe you didn't have your contacts today." Ginny roared, siding with Pansy, dragging Hermione.

"What the – I saw it! She crept to the table and put it there! Draco, don't eat it, please, she might've put in a Love Potion there!"

At this, Hermione snorted. "Seriously… a love potion? And this is coming from the girl who sent us the voodoo marionettes under Pansy's name this Christmas Break. Classic, real classic…"

The girl was shaking with anger, and she stopped jumping and dunked her hand into her pocket, reaching for her wand.

"Looking for this?" Hermione said, twirling Astoria's wand in her hand like majorette. She stopped twirling it and gave it to Ginny, "I would NEVER put a damn love potion in that chocolate."

"AHA! So you admit you DID make it!"

"I never said anything of that sort, idiot."

"How dare you – "

"I taught her my tricks, slut, and she is also a Truth or Dare specialist," Pansy retorted. Astoria whimpered. Silence again. After a few minutes, Astoria finally broke the silence.

"We shall see about this," she whispered dramatically before storming out of the Great Hall.

"Except you! You don't have contacts!" Hermione and Ginny hollered at her back. She pulled her hair and dashed to the dungeons, leaving Pansy crouching in laughter.

"That… was BRILLIANT!" she said, clutching her stomach as the Heads of Houses ushered the students back to their respective tables. Hermione grinned.

"Hey, Hermione," said a voice, and they turned around to see Draco, holding the package that was half-empty and licking his fingers. "Could you make me some more of this chocolate? These are the best!"

Unable to control herself, she flung her arms around him and kissed his chocolate-flavored lips, oblivious again to the Ravenclaws who gasped and pointed at them. Draco put his arms around her waist and twirled her. When they broke apart, they were smiling, Hermione sheepishly.

"I'm going to miss that," she said, sighing. Draco put the package down and frowned.

"Why? I'm not engaged, am I?"

"You aren't? But – "

"Astoria herself called the engagement off," Pansy continued, "He's all yours."

Hermione's eyes shone and looked up at Draco expectantly. Draco smiled and nodded, and she squealed as she hugged him again. Draco laughed.

"So does that mean we're together again?" he muttered into her ear.

"Must you question everything?" Hermione said and poked him playfully in the ribs, stuck out her tongue, and ran out the Great Hall.

"Hey! Get back here!" Draco said, laughing, and chased after her out the oak doors.

* * *

**A/N: They're back together! Yeeeey! Party party! xDDD**

Haha. hope you guys like it. I'm just going to stop making chapters for today for a little bit. I'm just going to finish my homework. Maybe - just maybe - I can write another one after I'm done, but I won't promise, because I break promises. :((

Review please :3


	17. The Plan

**A/N: **It's short, I know. :(( And this is the last chapter I'm uploading for today. The next upload will be, I think, on Friday... I'm not sure.

Well, enjoy :))

* * *

Blaise was strolling around the castle, whistling. It was the weekend, and the others were spending their first day of spring out in the grounds. He could hear someone laughing and talking when he passed a window. The sun's rays hit his face and he squinted. Slytherins never liked being in the position under a big burning spotlight, not literally.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard voices in a heated argument inside an abandoned classroom.

"What do you mean, kill them? I could never do that!"

"Shut it, Weasley; we all know you're a wimp in the first place…"

"Well then why am I dragged in here?"

"Because you were the one who gave the info to Skeeter."

Blaise heard a female voice cry in exasperation. "Honestly, you two, aren't you ever going to give it a rest for five seconds to plan this?"

Moments passed and silence rang. "There. It's already past five seconds," said a hoarse, familiar voice.

"I will NOT be in this plan!"

There was a resounding crash and a sickening crack as, Blaise imagined, knuckles made contact with a long-nosed, freckly face. "Stop being a wimp, Weasley; you don't have a choice."

Ron whimpered, and Blaise lost it. Casting _Muffliato, _a handy spell made by Snape and brought alive again by Harry, he ran away from that place, wanting to see the company he had to tell the most.

* * *

"Weasley, Greengrass, and Nott!"

"Whoa, Blaise, you were screaming that for the past quarter of an hour now…"

Blaise was still shaking; beads of sweat dripping off his face. They were in the Hospital Wing after Blaise arrived on their picnic, stuttering and as cold as though Dementors were around.

"Now, dear, take a long drink from this," Madam Pomfrey said, handing him a goblet full of what Hermione recognized was a potion for shock. Blaise nodded and drank clumsily. Once he quieted, he began telling the story.

"…I know it's big. And I am positive that they're planning about you two," Blaise finished ten minutes later, nodding to Hermione and Draco.

"They will never touch these guys," Pansy said encouragingly, placing one hand each on their shoulders, and Hermione felt a rush of gratitude. Who knew that enemies could be friends after a war?

Hermione was going to say thank you when Professor McGonagall entered the room, scanning the heads there, seeking the colors of brown and white.

"Miss Lovegood, Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, Miss Parkinson," she started, "Mr. Zabini, Mr. Malfoy, and Mr. Potter, the headmaster requests to see you."

They filed out of the Hospital Wing behind the professor and followed her to Dumbledore's former office. They all were excited when they went up the spiral staircase like an escalator and arrived at the door. Professor McGonagall knocked once before entering.

What they saw first was Dumbledore's portrait, the inhabitant snoozing lightly while leaning on the side of the frame. Other deceased headmasters and headmistresses were snoozing, too, as they all sat down on high-backed wooden chairs made by the headmistress.

"Albus," she whispered, "Albus, they're here,"

Dumbledore pretended to start awake, yawned, and smiled. "Well, aren't we a little bit peaky today?" he asked the room at large.

"Albus, we haven't got time," Professor McGonagall warned in a sweet voice. The headmaster cleared his throat and explained.

"We have been informed by Mr. Zabini that Mr. Weasley, Miss Greengrass, and Mr. Nott are planning to murder someone. Even though this can be just a plan, we will have some precautions ready for you. You are not allowed to wander the castle on your own. Even if you are only strolling with each other, have someone with you, at least two people.

Also, the Ministry's precautions when you were in sixth year are also preferable. Ask every one of you some deep questions, and make sure that no one but yourselves knows the answer. Refrain from being last in the line; always be in front. And lastly, study about defensive spells. Also study spells that are used for attack and their corresponding cures. Miss Lovegood is also arranged to be with the Gryffindors from now on."

After those words the crowd was silent. They were staring at each other disbelievingly, thinking the same thought: No wonder Dumbledore was famous.

* * *

Ron was having second thoughts about the plan. Sure, he was with Slytherins, and here he is, a cowardly Gryffindor… how ironic.

He was sitting in the deserted classroom again; Theo and Astoria were huddled in a corner, purposely excluding the group wimp behind. He always complained about not having the ability to kill a person, even Malfoy. He was the 'good guy', as they constantly said disgustingly, but what can he do? They're Slytherins, after all.

He was looking around, bored, when he was called by Theo.

"Right. Weasley, come here," Theo said, not taking his eyes off the parchment, so that he beckoned someone a little to Ron's left. He moved his chair forward to see the notes.

"So... the plan isn't going to work with just our efforts alone," Astoria explained, pointing out the map of an even bigger building than Hogwarts. Ron just nodded.

"And that's why we have to get someone out," Theo continued, grinning eerily. Then it clicked.

"We're going to break someone out of Azkaban?" he said, stunned.

"No, you idiot, that's impossible," Theo boomed, slapping the back of his head. "What we meant is… we're paying the Ministry to bail Lucius for twenty-four hours."

"Lucius Malfoy? Twenty-four hours? Will that be enough?" Ron added hastily, thinking better than pissing Theo off, who was already baring his teeth like Greyback.

"Trust me, Weasley," Theo said, "I heard Lucius can get as nasty as Snape, and when he does, his anger can last a lifetime."

* * *

**A/N:**_ Hehe. Ah... it feels good to write. :DD_

_Anyways, I think this story would be getting much more interesting on the next chapter, so this is like a cliffhanger, only I hope no one would be discouraged to read anymore because of the long wait. And also, please review while I'm gone. :) I'm really looking forward to it._

_Until next weekend, guys! 3 from Keishia~ ;DD_


	18. The Wrath of Lucius Malfoy

**A/N: **_Hope it's okay. :/_

* * *

Hermione walked into the Great Hall hand in hand with Draco, both smiling. The others were turning their heads because of the – _odd – _they were wearing. In other words, they were silent as the two magical beings sat down, not at all self-conscious about their Muggle outfit.

"Man, look at Blaise," Hermione muttered to Draco, who was spooning milk onto his bowl of cereals. Draco glanced at his best friend and chuckled.

"He's jealous of my polo shirt," he said smugly, then stuck out his tongue at his best friend at the Slytherin Table. Hermione laughed.

They ate in silence, content with each other's presence. They would make small talk from time to time, and they'd laugh loudly before being silent again. Hermione yawned after finishing her breakfast and Draco smirked.

"What?" she asked. Draco nodded over her shoulder. She turned around and her curious expression became a scowl.

"What do you want?" she furiously asked to Ron. He winced.

"Hermione, be careful – "he said, but she cut her off.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TO BE CAREFUL, RON WEASLEY! WHAT, ARE YOU PLANNING ON SOMETHING? WELL GUESS WHAT – I DON'T CARE!"

"No!" Ron whispered angrily, "It's not that! I told you to be careful about everything you do! You and Malfoy are being watched!"

Hermione was even more incensed. "Oh, so now you're a stalker! Mind your own business, Ron, if you please! Your _futile _efforts to break everyone up are only backfiring on YOU!"

Ron was about to retort when a cool voice spoke overhead. "And what is this commotion about, Granger?"

Hermione pointed her wand over her shoulder, not taking her eyes off of Ron, yelled _Expelliarmus! _inside her head and caught someone's wand.

"That's what you get for interfering, Greengrass," she heard Draco say.

"Watch it, Malfoy," Theodore Nott's voice said, "You're going to pay."

"How much? If I remember clearly, you were the one who had debts from me, Nott," Draco stated coolly.

Theodore growled, but Professor McGonagall quickly intervened before things got out of hand. "Nott, Weasley, and Greengrass, get back to your seats!"

All of them, except Ron, walked away reluctantly, Astoria snatching her wand quickly from Hermione's grasp. The headmistress sighed and looked at Draco sadly.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm afraid you have a visitor today…" she said faintly.

"Who is it, Professor?" he replied, confused. The aged witch just shook her head and pointed to the entrance of the Great Hall, where the doors have just been opened and allowed two men to come in. Draco turned, and at once his grey eyes showed reluctance and… fear?

"Father?" he said in barely over a whisper as he gazed at the man that looked exactly like him. Lucius turned around, showing his paler and gaunter face, and glared at his son's and Hermione's intertwined fingers placed carelessly upon the table.

* * *

"Hermione, come on, take a break for once…"

"Ginny, I love to, but I _really _have to finish the details on curse number 352…"

"You do remember we are in a picnic, right?" Harry asked timidly.

"I knew that!" Hermione snapped impatiently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before making her quill zoom over the parchment. She scanned the enormous book, which was on the spot beside her, and wrote again. "It's Dumbledore's orders, remember?"

Ginny sighed, closed the book just as Hermione finished, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hermione, relax for once!"

Hermione sighed. "I'm just stressed out… Draco's dad sought a one-on-one conversation with… Oh my God!" she shrieked, jumping up from the picnic blanket, making Neville, Pansy, Luna, Blaise, Harry, and Ginny jump. Hermione pulled a random arm that was next to her.

"Move! We've got to go! Dumbledore's orders! We've got to accompany Draco!" she shouted, and the arm's owner quickly stopped hesitating.

"See you later, guys!" Harry roared as he was being dragged behind Hermione by the collar.

* * *

"Tell me, Draco, why have you been seeing the Mudblood – "

"Don't call her that, _father,_" Draco retorted coolly, crossing his arms impatiently.

Lucius stared. "I have half a mind to disown you now, boy…" he began in a dangerous tone, but Draco cut him off again.

"Then do it! This is your loss, not mine! You were never a father to me, but I was a son to you!"

The thin man was about to reply when he was interrupted by the coming of Hermione and Harry, both flushed, both panting, both clutching their sides. Draco turned, saw his friends, and grinned warily.

"So… you've made friends with the Dark Lord's enemies…" his father stated bluntly, and Draco's scowl returned.

"Dark Lord? I don't care who he is, father, because he meant _nothing _to me. Was he my father? No. Was he my mother? No. Was he my headmaster? No. Was he as powerful as Dumbledore, Flamel, Abraxias Malfoy, Snape, and Merlin? OF COURSE, BLOODY HELL NO!" he screamed.

Hermione looked at Draco's father, saw his hand twitching to his pocket, and she drew out her wand.

"_Protego!" _she cried, making a shield between the fighters: three against one. Lucius snarled.

"Get out of the way, Mudblood," he spat bitterly. Draco was about to retort when Harry directed his own curse at Lucius, who instantly silenced.

"What curse was that?" Draco asked him, amused as his father made rude hand gestures. Harry laughed.

"Langlock. It glues your tongue to the roof of your mouth," he replied, snickering, "Another one of Snape's classics…"

"Man, if he was with the Marauders… or even with Fred, George, and Lee..." Hermione began, but Harry snorted.

"NO, Hermione. I will NOT have Snape as my godfather. Thanks, but no thanks, I'm content with Sirius." He answered, smiling. "Now, what should we do with old Lucius?"

Draco went outside for a few moments, and then came back with another man, who was tall and frightful-looking. "You can take care of father, now. We don't have anything to discuss anymore."

As the Auror took Lucius away, with the wand safely tucked in one of the pockets of the Auror's robes, harry sent the countercurse for Langlock over his shoulder. As soon as Lucius found the ability to speak, he shouted, "YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME!"

The teens snorted into laughter as the elder man stubbed his toe at a nearby pedestal, cried in pain, jumped on one foot, and stumbled over, hitting his head with a bust of Helena Ravenclaw.

* * *

The next day, the owls flew overhead, seeking for their respective owners, giving them their respective mail and gifts. Draco received his monthly share of sweets from his mother and a letter saying that she apologizes for her rash behavior of Astoria's betrothal to him and stated that Hermione was ultimately better for him. Harry and Ginny received their orders from Fred and George's joke shop. Hermione was busy with her drink. As an owl dropped the _Daily Prophet _in front of her, she spat the liquid and bathed the owl in lemonade.

Neville quickly dried and paid the owl as Harry, Draco, and Hermione crowded over the front page article, blaring the headline '_EX-DEATH EATERS ESCAPED AND AT LARGE'._

_Yesterday, the Ministry of Magic was bombarded with questions and criticism as the news about not one, but TWO, convicted Death Eaters escaping the clutches of security. Lucius Malfoy, who was convicted to a life sentence in Azkaban, was somehow bailed out for twenty-four hours. He was believed to visit his son, Draco Malfoy, at Hogwarts School. The headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, denied an attempt to talk with the young Malfoy. Meanwhile, on the way back, Lucius was said to acquire his wand from Arnold Mitchell, the Auror accompanying him, and killed him. After that, he was soon joined by one Rodolphus Lestrange, who was also submitted to a life sentence behind bars. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister, stated that all Aurors were searching for them as they were when they were hunting for Black. The Minister also hinted that they must have a reason to go outside, either to 'bring back the old days' by murdering Harry Potter or, let us say, 'another' case._

The others gaped at the article when they finished. Neville and Ginny didn't read it, but they were also gaping, also feeling the fear inside their bodies.

"What's the matter with all of you?" Blaise asked, walking over from the Slytherin Table clutching a half-eaten cheese muffin with Pansy following behind. Harry, Draco, and Hermione pointed at the article while Neville and Ginny were nodding to another direction. Pansy took notice of Ginny's eyes and Blaise gazed at the article.

"Nott and Greengrass are smug," Pansy stated. No one looked up.

"They planned this," Hermione said at last, Ron's words of 'You're being watched' revolving around her mind.

* * *

A siren blared around loudly, and everyone in the vicinity, even the Giant Squid, jumped. All the teachers rushed the student into the Great Hall, all aspects of classes forgotten. Hermione, Harry, and Draco were ushered upward from Double Potions. When they entered the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall was already in the middle of her speech.

"…We have received accurate information that Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange are on Hogwarts grounds," she was saying, and the Great Hall burst into talk. She waved her hand impatiently and tapped her wand at the podium menacingly, waiting for the babble to die down. "Now… we have been preparing for this, and I ask you to go to the Ministry with all your teachers, and stay there unless you get my word via Patronus that the school is once again safe. The Head Boy and Girl will be the ones assisting Madam Hooch at the Ministry. Any questions?"

A hand shot upward. Hermione looked over and saw it was a Hufflepuff. "Professor, why can't we stay in our Houses?"

"Because these two ex-Death Eaters will surely target the Houses. They could be hiding inside, or they could get in through other means, like what Sirius Black did with the portrait of the Fat Lady and with Mr. Longbottom's passwords."

All heads turned towards Neville, and he turned a rosy shade of pink as he started fidgeting. McGonagall dismissed them all, and the mass of black stampeded towards Hogsmeade, where they can Apparate. As the first students stepped onto the grass, Professor Flitwick, who was standing on a Ravenclaw's shoulders, made the fastest spellwork anyone has ever seen.

"May I request Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Lovegood, Ms, Weasley, Mr. Potter, Mr. Zabini, Mr. Longbottom and Ms. Parkinson to come to the staffroom. Immediately, please!" McGonagall shouted hurriedly. All of them fought against the rush of students clambering outside.

"What does she mean, 'immediately'? It's far from here!" Ginny complained, panting as she pushed two Hufflepuff prefects apart. "No mushy stuff from Hufflepuff, you two!" she shouted and threw what Hermione recognized was a Decoy Detonator between them.

After a few more struggles, including a bloody nose to a second year Gryffindor, they were walking in a tight-knit group, stopping for a full five seconds at an intersection before hurriedly crossing it to the next corridor. They passed Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and several vacant portraits, all whose inhabitants have evacuated.

"I think someone's following us," Pansy said, her voice unnaturally high. They turned around, but there was nothing there. Blaise patted her on the arm gently and they continued to walk.

"_Crucio!" _shouted a hoarse voice, and Luna was on the floor, screaming her head off, writhing in pain. Wands were gripped more tightly and Shields were casted as the caster lifted the Disillusionment Charm off of him.

"It's really nostalgic to be back at Hogwarts and Crucio a blonde Ravenclaw," Rodolphus Lestrange muttered, licking his lips hungrily as he looked down on Luna, who was panting, "And your scream is just like her, too. Well, well, isn't this interesting, eh, Lucius?"

"Of course, Rodolphus," said Lucius' voice from the left of him, and he materialized again, smirking as Blaise helped Luna stand up, "Blaise and Pansy… you are in this mess, too, I see…"

Moments passed as they all glared each other in loathing. Then eight against two were eight against five.

"Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Lestrange! We're here to help!" Theodore Nott's voice shouted from another corridor. Astoria screamed affirmative, and Ron gave a shaky 'yes!'

"Nott, Greengrass, and... Weasley?" the aged men both asked incredulously. "Well, well, purebloods are fit to be under the Dark Lord's wing after all… except for someone, of course," said Lucius, turning his head slowly to face Draco, who bared his teeth.

At the same time, all of them fired the jinxes. Harry and Blaise were against Lucius while Luna and Neville took care of Rodolphus. Pansy was battling Astoria, Ginny was in a heated match with her brother, Ron, and Hermione and Draco were sided against Nott. All were evenly matched, and in ten minutes, the clean corridor now resembled a battlefield of World War II.

Blaise deflected an incoming Disarming spell as Pansy and Astoria disregarded magic and was now pulling each other's hair. Harry dodged a Killing Curse and it hit the wall, leaving a long scratch. Luna and Neville had hate in their eyes. Ginny and Ron were having a shouted match above the jinxes. Hermione and Draco were dancing around, dodging Theo's jinxes that were coming rapidly.

Blaise was hit by a Jelly-legs Jinx, and he stumbled over, giving Lucius a clear shot of Hermione's back.

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_ he roared, pointing his wand in her direction. The jet of green light illuminated in everyone's eyes as Hermione turned in slow motion. There was a scream of 'No!' before Hermione was engulfed and pressured into the suffocating darkness.

* * *

**A/N:** _*suspense sound*_

_I hope Hermione's not dead. What am I saying? xDDD_

_Hope it's okay. :) I'm writing another one shakily, because I've been thinking the last part of the next chapter since Wednesday. hahaha. xDD Review please. :DD_


	19. How Things Are Going To Be

**A/N: i rushed this because I have classes tomorrow. FORGIVE MEEEEE!**

* * *

"So this is what's like to be dead…" Hermione thought. She was still for a moment, neither wanting nor willing to move.

But, wait… Did she just think of something? So… she wasn't dead?

She wasn't Harry… She couldn't survive a Killing Curse. Her body was numb. She didn't even feel the curse hitting any part of her body. She just fell to the ground.

The sounds of the semi-war were crashing all around her. Someone was crying over the jinxes, so the spells were jumbled and slurred. Hermione opened her eyes a millimeter, and she was so shocked, she gasped.

* * *

"You didn't have to do it for me…" Hermione muttered, sitting up more freely to gaze at the limp figure. She sighed, and closed her eyes, letting her tear fall onto the person's colorless cheek.

"Ron," she said, her voice breaking, and she cried into his chest with all her heart. The fight outside didn't matter to her. What mattered was that Ron wasn't here, wasn't breathing, and wasn't laughing at Hermione for being so overemotional at him. At this time, he would joke, badly, and he'd get a scowl or a reprimand in return. And now that goofy smile was gone, that cute blush would never creep up to his cheeks again.

Hermione's hand roved over his chest where his heart lay, motionless. She sobbed into his hair, wondering what on earth she did to deserve the loss of a great friend. The Weasleys… she thought of the Weasleys. The then nine redheads were lessened into seven. With the loss of Fred and Ron, who knows… maybe another Weasley might fall lifeless in another war.

Someone opened the door to the deserted classroom and hid, panting. Hermione looked up and saw Lucius, sweating. He glanced at her, and Weasley, and grinned evilly.

"I told Draco you were a sniveling two-timer," he muttered, before casting a jinx that made her scream aloud. Her very bones were on fire. She wanted to rip her hair out, but the pain wasn't enough to match this one. She was dying, she knew it. She felt her blood rush into her head. She felt her heart frenzy. It was pain, it was not; it was agony, it was comfort.

And at last, she slumped on the cold stone floor with Ron. Lucius smiled at his success and went outside with renewed vigor.

* * *

"Hermione, please wake up; we can't lose you, we've already got Ron…"

Hermione groaned and turned her stiff head from side to side, opening her eyes slowly. She was met with Draco's face, and she hugged him tightly.

"Ouch; Hermione, go easy, there," he muttered, laughing lightly, as Hermione looked at him, puzzled. Draco pointed at a bruise on his neck.

That explained it.

"Sorry," she whispered sheepishly. And then she coughed… and retched… and wouldn't stop.

"Hermione, have you been attacked by nargles?" Luna piped from the corner. Hermione shook her head frivolously. Someone touched her hand. Somebody else bustled about.

"She's been hit by a curse," a voice she recognized as Madam Pomfrey's said, "it's one that makes her feel like she's burning."

Draco's ears perked up.

"It's okay," Hermione muttered, "I'm okay. Now, what happened after I blacked out?"

"Well, Harry and Blaise tackled Lucius. Luna and Neville were victorious against Rodolphus. You should be proud of Pansy; she pulled Astoria's hair out. Now she looks like she just went through a horrible chemotherapy," Ginny rambled, "we found Ron and we contacted the Ministry and the teachers. Theo was hit by a strong Disarming Spell and he hit the window and fell so many floors below. Good thing he's dead." She added bitterly.

Hermione nodded and coughed a little more. Once she looked around she realized she was in the staffroom. The only ones who were there were the eight fighters, Madam Pomfrey, and Slughorn.

"Have you found a cure yet?" Draco whined impatiently. Slughorn sighed.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but I do not remember the potion that could cure this kind of curse…" he said sadly. "I'm afraid it acts like a poison that spreads through your body in a short amount of time."

He looked at Draco morosely, and whispered, "If I estimated correctly, I'm afraid she isn't going to last the night."

"WHAT!" they all roared in disagreement. Hermione shook her head.

"I know this curse!" Draco shouted, incensed, "It's curse number 445! We had a list of ancient curses! I know how to make it, but I won't make it. I'm not going to forgive myself if I did something wrong. We're going to St. Mungo's."

"Draco, it's alright; I can manage here," she said, not wanting to go to a hospital, but Draco lost it.

"You are not giving up, Hermione Granger!" he roared, "You are going to last the night, and many more to come! After this mess, we are going to get married; we are going to have children; we are going to live long and die together, old and happy! This is how things are going to be; this is how things are supposed to be! You can't die, not now, not when you're leaving me behind!"

Hermione's eyes watered at his words, and she brushed them away impatiently. She pulled him down for a quick kiss, smiled, and muttered, "Don't worry, Draco. I have faith in you."

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ Aww, I loved what draco said. and guess where I thought of that? That's right, in the shower. ;DDD_

_Tell me what you think. I'm sad because it's finally ending. :((_


	20. Funerals and Engagements

**A/N:** Second to the last chapter! :((

* * *

Hermione's vision was blurred as Draco instructed the Healer how to brew the potion. People rushed past. She was having trouble in breathing.

"Draco…" she whispered. Draco heard and he quickly held her hand.

"Don't worry, Hermione; the Healer got their best potion-brewer to make the potion. You're going to be okay…" he said, kissing her hand. Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Stay by my side," she muttered.

"I will, I promise," she heard him say before blacking out, his words swirling around her head.

* * *

Slow music started to play as a great mass of black trudged forward, heads bent, shoulders shaking, eyes swollen. The black coffin at the middle of the crowd was moving forward slowly. White flowers adorned its sides. Draco, Harry, Blaise, and Neville were the ones supporting the hearse.

Everyone in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts had come for the funeral of Ron Weasley.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the same wizard that married Bill and Fleur, "you cannot say you didn't know about Ronald Bilius Weasley. He was a great hero in the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named; he was a student of Hogwarts; and of course, he was a loyal friend," he said, looking over at the now Golden Duo and the others, who were very subdued, "He spent his life fully…"

Hermione was sitting beside Draco, who was squinting. She, however, was… blank. She still felt numb inside, but that could be because of the potion she had just taken or the loss of Ron can't be acceptable to her yet. She still felt sadness, but no tears came. She squeezed Draco's hand when the wizard finished. Draco sighed, got up to everyone's amazement, and said something about Ron.

"The first thought that came to my head when I saw Ron Weasley was that I thought this was someone to befriend," he said, "although that day, I can't help but snicker because he still had dirt on his nose. The following years came and I continued to be mean to him, to Harry, and Hermione. After the war, I regretted all of it. I regretted saying the words 'Mudblood' and 'blood traitor', for all of us are human, and I am also a blood traitor.

"This year I got to befriend the Golden Duo. When we had our first picnic, Ron wasn't there because he was at the Hospital Wing, injured by bowtruckles," his eyes glinted when they roved over Lavender Brown, "When he saw me and Hermione together, however, he lost it and kidnapped Hermione. He was gone from school for some time, and he came back, good as new. This Ron didn't howl at us for holding hands. He just shrugged and looked out the window. And now I have important news to reveal to you…"

The crowd held its breath as Draco said, "He was in love with no other than Luna Lovegood."

Luna straightened her back, looking at Draco, surprised, letting her tear fall. Blaise looked at her sadly, kissed her hair, and rubbed her arm as she started to cry on his shoulder.

"After that, he went away for Christmas Break. At that time, Blaise and Luna got to know each other a little better. So you can imagine Ron's anger when he saw them together. That anger never diffused, so he was forced to tell Rita Skeeter that foul and lying article about Hermione, thinking that we were the ones who put Luna and Blaise together. After the plan backfired, he was dragged into the group of Nott and Greengrass to plan our murder.

They bailed father, and they got Rodolphus out. Then the semi-war started. Blaise was hit by a Jelly-legs Jinx, my father sent a Killing Curse to Hermione, and Ron flung himself across the room."

Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder at those words.

Draco pulled a handkerchief out and rubbed his forehead. "I am sorry to be related by blood to the man who killed Ron Weasley. I'm sorry for not being a good friend – or a good anything, really – to him. I'm sorry that he was dragged into plotting a murder. And I'm sorry that he died, sorry that he won't live as we do here. But we know Ron is still with us; you never know, maybe he's watching his own funeral way up there," he pointed to the sky, "where he's snickering at everyone who is overemotional at him."

The crowd gave a watery chuckle and applauded appreciatively as Draco hugged his mother, who was crying silently. Then he went back to Hermione's side, who was smiling amidst her fresh wave of tears.

"That was a really good speech," she muttered as Harry climbed onto the podium.

"I didn't even prepare it," he whispered, letting out a low whistle. Hermione giggled and smacked his arm playfully.

* * *

"I'm going to miss being in Hogwarts…"

"All of us do, Hermione," Neville said, straightening his graduation cap. They had just been graduated from their seventh year. Hermione had gotten the highest score and she received her diploma first. Next came no other than her boyfriend, Draco, who was second to her.

"I can't believe we're going away and never come back here…" Harry said, wiping his tears away. Hermione understood him, because he treated Hogwarts as his third home; the first being the house in Godric's Hollow, the second was the house in Majorca. Ginny squealed excitedly.

"Can I tell them?" she said to Harry, who laughed and nodded.

"I'm engaged!" she screamed, showing them the beautiful diamond ring on her hand. Cries of 'Congratulations!' came from all corners. Someone even said "Finally!"

Hermione smiled as her best friend hugged her. "You two really are perfect for each other."

"So are you and Draco," Harry emphasized, hugging his fiancé.

* * *

The feast was incredible. Hermione kept thinking how much the house elves were working whenever she pushed aside a dish. Then she thought of Ron as the bouillabaisse dish showed up. She remembered Ron serving black pudding onto his plate; then he got wide eyes when Fleur, who was visiting for the Triwizard Tournament at that time, glided from the Ravenclaw Table and asked for the dish.

Professor McGonagall stood up and waved her hand for silence. "The end of a great year," she began, looking over the Houses, "This has been one eventful year. Amidst the kidnaps, break-ins, commotions, and losses, we still survived.

"Hogwarts is not just a school of magic. It is a school where you can make friends. Through seven years – for some eight – friends can take you higher. Enemies can drag you down. Sometimes, others have a change of heart. Sometimes, old school grudges are taken further when you don't settle quarrels.

"And now, the time is near for saying goodbye, but this is a feast, after all. And might I add that someone is going to say something here later, so please stay to hear it. Now that that's settled, dig in!"

All the students cheered as Professor McGonagall sat down, waving away the fact that they were already half-way in eating. They all ate, they all talked, they all laughed, they all cried until it was well past midnight when the last crumbs of dessert were gone.

"Let me now call in – _hiccup –_"Professor McGonagall said, "Mr. Draco Malfoy for an announcement."

Draco squeezed Hermione's hand and walked towards podium amidst gales of girlish squeals. They all stopped when they looked at Hermione, however. Draco chuckled before saying at large, "I was waiting to tell you all of this, and this is the best way to do it."

He took a deep breath and cried out, "Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?"

Ginny pushed Hermione to stand up just as all the students turned their heads. Hermione felt herself blushing as he walked to Draco, who was grinning. When she reached him, he suddenly knelt down and presented the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. Eyes watering, she looked at everyone first, then at Draco's eyes, and nodded.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Draco kissed Hermione there and then, happy that she agreed, happy that she was here. Hermione answered with passion, getting her hands lost into his hair.

It was really her best night ever.

* * *

**A/N: **Ack, I'm no good at fluff. :))


	21. A rather short Epilogue

**A/N: **_It's the last chapter! ;(((_

* * *

"Michael! Get your lemonade!"

A nine-year-old boy with blonde hair and hazel eyes came forward, sweating. He looked up at his mother and grinned.

"Mom, can me and Megara ask you a question?" he said, waving over his twin sister, who had brown hair and twinkling grey-blue eyes. Hermione laughed.

"Anything," she said, looking over the grounds of Malfoy Manor. It was still majestic over all these years.

"When is daddy coming home?" they chorused. Hermione stared.

"He's coming home at half-past six, but you mustn't disturb him. He's just gone to another country because of his work."

"I miss daddy," Megara whined. Michael nodded. Hermione smiled.

"Well, what time is it now?" she asked, looking over at the kitchen to see the clock. "Look, it's half-past six already!"

"Already?" the twins yelped. After a few seconds there was the slam of the front door. "Daddy's back!"

They all ran towards the hall to see Draco, tired and happy. "Hey, did you give your mother a hard time?" he said playfully, hugging his children.

"Yes," the three of them answered. He laughed.

"Come on, we made dinner," Hermione nudged. Draco obliged after hanging his coat and hat on an old coat hanger by the door. The mood was festive as they ate. Draco was promoted because of his report for the Ministry. Hermione was dealing with the rights of creatures.

"Come on, now, get to bed," Hermione ushered to the twins as they pulled on identical silver pajamas and ran to their room. Hermione laughed and leaned on the doorframe looking at them snuggling into their blankets.

"Good night, Mom! Good night, Michael!" Megara said sweetly, turning off the lamp beside her.

"Good night, Mom! Good night, Megara!" her twin answered, turning off the lamp beside him. Megara squealed.

"Michael! I haven't put my nightlight on yet!" she shrieked. After a few moments, Hermione fixed them up again, the warm light of Megara's magical nightlight glowing steadily in the dark.

"Now are you going to sleep?" she said tiredly. The twins nodded, kissed her cheek, and waved to her as she closed their bedroom door.

* * *

"They sure can kick…"

"Yeah…" Hermione answered as Draco put a healing spell on her leg. "I suppose they get that form their father…"

Draco gasped. "What?"

Hermione laughed.

"You know, Ginny and Harry are inviting us to their baby shower next week," she mused. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"It's their third child, right?" he asked.

"Yes, and they named it after Harry's mother, Lily."

"Albus is starting this year, right?" he asked again. Hermione nodded.

"Where are Blaise and Luna, anyways?" she demanded. Draco laughed.

"They're in Blaise's other house in France. I think they've found Raymond, though…" he added playfully, and she scowled.

"You _know _that was Ron's imagination, right?" she asked dangerously. Draco nodded furiously. She laughed.

"It's really cool that you're home on the dot, you know…" she said, snuggling into his body as they watched the moon out in the grounds. Draco laughed softly.

"Malfoys are always punctual," he said.

"Oh, enough with that! Grangers are, too!"

"You didn't attend that class in Cheering charms when we were in third year…"

"How'd you know that?"

"Because it was right after you slapped me," he said, "I thought I saw something in your eyes that day and I asked anyone about your next class."

"Is that even connected?" she asked, amused.

"I don't think it is, to be honest," he answered, laughing. He kissed her full on the lips and she answered willingly.

"I'm glad you changed…" Hermione whispered to him, smiling.

"I'm glad you didn't," he replied, smirking, leaning his cheek on her hair as they sighed, content.

This really is perfect.

* * *

**A/N: THE END!**

_Thanks for all the support from your review, guys. I really appreciate it. :))_

_And for all those who think that I'm uploading too fast, it's because I want the readers to read it when its already complete so they won't have to wait for the next chapter. Okay?_

_Again, thank you for all. I hope this goes well. :DD_


End file.
